Project Lead: Viktoria Hofer, Michaela Riegelnegg
Authors: Viktoria Hofer,Jule A. Pleyer, Michaela Riegelnegg
Duration: Q1 to Q4 2026
Language: English (with German summary)
Malnutrition remains a significant health problem even in high-income countries, particularly amongst older people and those with chronic conditions. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS, often referred to as ‘nutritional drinks’) are frequently used for prevention and treatment. Whilst ONS offer only limited benefits for certain patient groups, they are indispensable for others. From an ethical perspective, careful consideration is required: the right to nutrition must be balanced against concerns regarding overuse, inappropriate prescribing and unnecessary medicalisation, particularly as simpler interventions might suffice in some cases. Furthermore, the environmental impact (resource-intensive production, CO₂ emissions and packaging waste) must be taken into account.
AIHTA has been commissioned to carry out a comprehensive efficacy and safety assessment of oral dietary supplements across various patient populations and clinical indications, in order to support evidence-based prescribing decisions within the Austrian healthcare system.