Beliefs on BHT safety had the greatest variation of responses. Pharmacists’ beliefs about the risk of BHT may have been shaped by their beliefs about progesterone. Almost a quarter of the pharmacists believed BHT had less risk of CVD, which mirrored pharmacists’ beliefs on the risk of progesterone on CVD in comparison to synthetic progestins. Progesterone has been proposed to have positive effects on the
vitamin D binding protein precrusor (208-21 cool through preserving the beneficial effect of estrogens on lipid profile and vascular tone as compared to synthetic progestins [28] and [29]. Similarly, pharmacists beliefs on the risk of breast cancer with BHT mirrored their beliefs of breast cancer risk with progesterone. Progesterone may have different effects compared to synthetic progestins on breast cancer [9]. Large observational studies suggest lower breast cancer risk with micronized
progesterone as compared to other progestins [30]. Though promising, further data is needed about breast cancer risk with long term use of progesterone [31].
