All community pharmacies in the UK could be allowed to sell the government's range of vitamin supplements for pregnant women by the end of the year, health minister Daniel Poulter has revealed.

Healthy Start vitamins are currently only available to pregnant women and mothers with children under four on benefits who receive NHS vouchers, which they can use to collect them for free from selected shops and pharmacies. But the government was "currently exploring the options" to allow the vitamins to be sold through community pharmacies, Mr Poulter told parliament last week (March 25).

"The government recognises that permitting the sale of Healthy Start vitamins through community pharmacies could be beneficial. We hope to have arrangements in place later this year," Mr Poulter said in response to a written question from Conservative MP Tracey Crouch.

The government is "currently exploring the options" to allow Healthy Start vitamins to be sold through community pharmacies	More on public health Use pharmacy to reduce pressure on A&E, NHS Alliance urges Pharmacy needs to help reduce unwanted pregnancies, warns Nice RPS sets out standards for delivering public health
	The government was also considering expanding the availability of the supplements, which include vitamins C, D and folic acid, beyond people on benefits, he said. Nice was assessing the cost-effectiveness of offering the vitamin supplements to all pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as children under four, and would publish its recommendations in a report next year, Mr Poulter said.

Nice was developing separate guidance on the prevention of vitamin D deficiency and increasing the availability of vitamin D supplements, due to be published in November, he added.

	Would you welcome the opportunity to sell Healthy Start vitamins?   We want to hear your views, but please express them in the spirit of a constructive, professional debate. For more information about what this means, please click here to see our community principles and information