Mary E. Sanders

TL;DR: The safety of probiotics is tied to their intended use, which includes consideration of potential vulnerability of the consumer or patient, dose and duration of consumption, and both the manner and frequency of administration.

TL;DR: Progress in this area will be facilitated by optimising strain, dose and product formulations, including protective commensal species; matching these formulations with selectively responsive subpopulations; and identifying ways to manipulate diet to modify bacterial profiles and metabolism.

TL;DR: A need remains for clear, evidence-based communications to consumers on the role of probiotics in a healthy diet and to healthcare providers regarding clinical use and some regulatory challenges facing the probiotic field are addressed.

TL;DR: Recommendations for the clinical use of probiotics were published after a Yale University Workshop in 2005 and updated and extended into other areas, including treating inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

TL;DR: It is in patients' best interest to use probiotics in the prevention and treatment of conditions when the evidence is convincing and to protect high-risk patients, probiotic products should meet stringent microbiological standards.