Clinical practice and evidence needs of clinical pharmacists regarding herb-drug interactions in China: a semi-structured in-depth interview study

Research focusing on healthcare professionals’ perspectives and practices on herb-drug interaction (HDI) in culturally distinct regions like China remains critically needed. [ 1 ] Despite this need, human-based HDI research continues to be severely limited. Our preliminary survey revealed that 37.5% of clinicians (the highest proportion) consult pharmacists when encountering non-clinical HDI evidence, underscoring pharmacists’ central role in this domain. This study therefore examines Chinese clinical pharmacists’ practical experiences with HDIs and their evidence requirements, while proposing strategies to enhance future research. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with twelve Chinese clinical pharmacists, selected through purposive sampling until reaching data saturation. The interview guide was developed following comprehensive literature review, expert consultation, and preliminary interviews. Using NVivo 12, we performed thematic analysis of interview transcripts, identifying five core themes: (1) professional roles in HDI management, (2) knowledge acquisition methods, (3) approaches to addressing potential HDIs, (4) clinical implementation challenges, and (5) critical evidence gaps. Analysis revealed that pharmacists mainly depend on drug labels, clinical guidelines, and pharmacopeias, occasionally supplemented by limited preclinical (animal/cellular) or clinical studies. Participants consistently expressed strong demand for: (a) higher-quality clinical evidence, (b) mechanistically informative research with direct clinical applications, and (c) evidence-based frameworks to guide decision-making. Particularly urgent needs include developing systems to: (i) evaluate preclinical evidence quality, (ii) synthesize clinically useful data, and (iii) bridge the gap between basic research and clinical practice for improved HDI management in integrated medicine settings. The authors declared no potential conflict of interest. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany