New poll shows public want herbal medicine regulation
Tuesday 13th January, 2009
Regulation of natural health therapies and products has always been a positive step toward validation of alternative medicine and complementary therapy. The latest MORI poll suggests the public want regulation of herbal medicines to ensure safety and quality information.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) launched a scheme back in 2005 called the Traditional Herbal Registration Scheme which required herbal medicines in the UK to be produced under assurances of safety, quality and information for the patient.
A regulated herbal medicine is distinguishable by a traditional herbal registration (THR) number on the packaging. Any company who sell existing herbal medicines that are unlicensed have until 2011 to get them registered with the MHRA.
This latest poll adds further weight to the scheme showing that the public are keen to see herbal medicines regulated. The MHRA currently have 53 applicants wanting to join the registration scheme with 25 products currently registered.
The general belief among the public is that because medicines are herbal and natural they are safe. This places them in a vulnerable position to producers who offer low grade and dangerous herbal medicines. Through better registration and trained herbal medicine practitioners selling safe and registered products these operators will be unable to peddle their unsafe medicines.
Current statistics for herbal medicine use in the UK:
- Herbal medicine has been used by 35% of adults
- Women use herbal medicine the most
- 89% of people who used herbal medicine in the last two years believe them to be safe
- 67% of those using herbal medicine agree that you should inform your GP
- 29% of adults believe herbal medicine is regulated in the UK
- 31% believe it isn’t, 30% don’t know
- 77% believe it is important herbal medicine is regulated
- 83% if adults believe that checks on ingredient safety is ‘essential’ or ‘very important’
Herbal Medicine sources of information:
- 1 in 5 (17%) people used their GP as a source of information about herbal medicine
- 15% used family
- 13% used friends and colleagues
- 9% used Pharmacists
- 8% used herbal medicine practitioners
- 7% used herbal medicine retailers
41% of people believe that their GP was the most trusted source of information for herbal medicine, 23% said Pharmacists.
To ensure safety and correct dosage it is advisable to use a herbal medicine practitioner who is registered or accredited by an association or professional body.
Find out more about herbal medicine and find an accredited practitioner here
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January 13th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
All complementary therapies should be regulated so you know you are in safe hands when visiting a therapist.
I like the statistics on this article too.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
The newly-formed CNHC does a bad job when it comes to regulation of Supplementary, Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Government certification does not even require evidence of efficacy, or even safety. Sign the petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/CNHCsafety to change this.
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:59 pm
What a stange article. Not balanced or evidence based at all…weird. Wonder who wrote it and why???
Herbal medicine is remarkably safe, you have a far greater, hugely greater chance of being harmed by your GP. I am not aware of any concerns for trained medical herbalists in the UK because they are extremely safe and well trained. How often do we hear of someone dying of herbal remedies or being made sick?
I think this pressure is not coming from good ordinary people (who of course will say yes to should hebal medicines be safer it’s a loaded question) but from silly people like the Nightingale Consort and the drug companies who fear losing market share.