Herbal medicines prohibited because EU directive comes into force
Herbal medicines prohibited because EU directive comes into force
Patients have already lost use of hundreds of herbal medicines today, after European regulations came in to force.
Product sales of all herbal treatments, except for a small number of popular products for ‘mild’ illness such as echinacea for common colds and St John’s Wort for depression have been banned.
For the first time traditional items must be licensed or prescribed by a registered herbal practitioner.
Both natural remedy practitioners and manufacturers fear they could be forced out of business as a result.
Some of the most commonly used products were saved after the Health Secretary Tim Lansley approved a plan for the Health Professions Council to establish a sign-up of practitioners delivering unlicensed herbal medicines.
However, many remedies had been lost as it was only open to those who can afford the licensing procedure which costs between £80,Thousand to £120,000.
A minimum of 50 herbs, including horny goat weed so-called organic Viagra, hawthorn berry, used for angina pain, and wild yam will no longer be filled in health meals shops, says the British Herbal Medicine Association.
The 04 EU directive demands that a traditional herbal medicinal product should be shown to have been in use for 30 years in the EU or from 15 years in the EU and 15 years somewhere else for it to be licensed.
The UK drug safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency, has issued more than a dozen alerts in the past 2 yrs, including a warning final month over a contaminated weight loss pill called Natural Flos Lonicerae (Herbal Xenicol) due to concerns over possible side-effects.
Mr Lansley, in a written declaration, said the Government desired to ensure continuing use of unlicensed herbal medicines using a statutory register for practitioners to meet individual patient needs.
Acupuncture falls outside the EU directive and so remains untouched.
Prince Charles is a long standing supporter of these type of therapies, he has voiced his support for formal regulation associated with herbal practitioners.
Up un-till now the industry was covered by the 1968 Medicines Act. This was drawn up when only a smaller number of herbal remedies had been available.
Recent reports show, that at least 6 000 0000 Britons have indeed used this actual herbal medicine in last past two or so years.
Professor George Lewith, professor of health study at Southampton University, stated: Evidence for the effectiveness of herbal medicines is growing; they may offer inexpensive, safe and effective approaches for numerous common complaints.
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