EU writes poisonous prescription for UK herbal remedies industry

Thursday, January 6 2011

West Midlands MEP Mike Nattrass fears public health could be put at risk due to new EU regulations which will ban hundreds of herbal remedies from sale in the UK.

The UKIP MEP says the ban, which is due to come into force on May 1, will be disastrous news for the UK’s herbal medicine industry and has expressed concerns that the regulations could lead to patients buying potentially dangerous products online or from backstreet sources.

Under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, traditional herbal medicinal products will have to be licensed or prescribed by a registered herbal practitioner.

The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) estimates the cost of obtaining a license would be in the region of £80,000 and £120,000 per herb. This would have severe implications as some remedies are made up of multiple herbs and the low volume of certain herb sales will not justify this EU expense

Mr Nattrass says the regulations could force many herbalists in the UK out of business and the only beneficiary would be the black market.

He said: “This new directive is bad news for patients and bad news for the UK’s herbal medicine industry itself.

“Hundreds of natural remedies will be banned, for no good reason, as a result of these EU regulations.

“These costly EU regulations will simply push herbal practitioners out of business and sadly outlaw many harmless and long standing British traditional remedies.

“The EU has written another failed prescription. We should regulate our own healthcare services and not be bullied by "right herbs" in Brussels,” he added.