Why was this article written?

Because most people have at least one nutritional deficiency (and maybe more than one) multivitamins are suggested for use by many health professionals and associations. Multivitamins help to fill in gaps in nutrition, providing nutrient missed in normal diets. A multivitamin can be a safe, nutritious, and inexpensive part of a total health plan.

Dietary supplements.
Authors: Jensen CD, Briggs GM.
JAMA. 1987 Aug 21;258(7):908-10. PubMed Citation PMID: 3613016.PDF Letter to the Editor: JAMA, 1987.