i do think it's important to note that some of the supplement/vitamin companies *are* owned by pharmaceutical companies. One-a-Day for example is owned by... Bayer. So it's not true that "big pharma" is totally ignoring them. they're actually selling them to you. there's just zero regulation of them in the us whereas pharmaceutical drugs have to go through some kind of accountability. it's not a perfect process but i'll take at least *some* oversight over none.