Herbal medicines' safety
Many cancer patients will use herbal medicines, to complement their conventional treatment. Nurses, therefore, need to be able to advise on the safety, and efficacy, of these products. As an aid to this aspect of practice, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has launched a new information service on its website dedicated to providing up to date safety information on herbal remedies.
Herbal Safety News has been developed for the public, herbalists, the herbal industry and health professionals and will provide a convenient reference source by bringing together in one place information on the latest issues as they arise.
In addition to all the latest information, the service will provide details of previous herbal issues and any advice issued by the MCA or the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).
The MCA hopes that Herbal Safety News will also increase understanding that herbal remedies are genuine medicines, which have an effect on the body and so should be both manufactured to high standards and used with care.
Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, Chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, welcomed the addition to the MCA's website. He said:
"Many herbal remedies pose little risk to public health and are valued by consumers. However, there are various reasons why herbal remedies may, on occasions, pose problems and it can be difficult for those interested to keep up-to-date on progress.
"While we cannot assure the public as to the safety of some unlicensed herbal remedies available on the market, this new service will give people the chance to obtain information themselves and keep up-to-date with current issues surrounding herbal remedies of particular concern. It is right that information about herbal safety is brought to the attention of the public and the herbal sector."
The site will include issues such as:
- details of herbal remedies found to be interacting with other medicines (eg. St John's Wort and its interaction with prescription medicines)
- concerns over the inherent safety of an ingredient itself
- alerts over poor quality controls in parts of the unlicensed herbal remedy sector
- contamination of herbal remedies with heavy metals
- illegal inclusion of prescription-only-medicines.
The need for this initiative is emphasised by the recent discovery by the MCA of further examples of unlicensed herbal remedies on the market posing a risk to public health.
http://www.mca.gov.uk/ourwork/licensingmeds/herbalmeds/herbalsafety.htm