Study raises concerns over probiotic safety

A Dutch study of the effect of probiotics on patients suffering from acute pancreatitis has produced some alarming results. Researchers working at the University of Utrecht Medical Center reported that the death rate in patients who were given probiotics was 16%, compared with just 6% in the control group.

Probiotics' role in infection prevention

The study, entitled: probiotic prophylaxis in patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis, was designed to assess the impact of probiotics on the infectious complications that are the major cause of death associated with the condition. Previous, smaller-scale trials indicated that probiotic preparations had potential application in this indication.