EU to ban herbal medicines

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.minsterfm.com/news/review.php?article=358822
http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/campaign-against-eu-ban-on-herbal.html

Stop the ban on unlicensed herbal medicines - the call from a York MEP


York MEP Godfrey Bloom is demanding the Government opts out of an EU directive banning all herbal medicines manufactured by unlicensed practitioners.

The directive is due to come into force on May 1 in the UK unless the government sets up its own statutory regulation on alternative and complementary medicine. Godfrey Bloom said:

"In this country 5.8 million people rely on herbal medicines but the Government has still not made a decision on introducing statutory regulation.

"It is just not good enough that they have still not reached a decision, despite more than a decade of parliamentary consultation and debate," said Mr Bloom, UKIP Euro-MP.

"Millions of British people dependent on such remedies, some used for hundreds of years, are faced with the real possibility that they will no longer be able to access the products they rely on for their well-being.

"And on top of that tens of thousands of jobs in the thriving complementary medicine market are at risk.

"I am worried that this will turn out to be another example of the Government giving into the Brussels bureaucrats," said Mr Bloom.

"The UK-based Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) is taking legal action against the directive and they have my full support,".

The ANH estimates the cost of gaining a licence, which sets safety and quality standards similar to those required for pharmaceutical drugs, at between £80,000 and £120,000 per herb. For big market products, such as echinacea, that is manageable but many companies involved in the supply and sale of tradition herbal medicines are small and medium-sized companies, which cannot afford the cost of complying with the new legislation.

Godfrey Bloom said:

"A danger is that desperate consumers will turn to the internet where safety and quality cannot be assured," said Mr Bloom.

"I have personally been involved with a UK herbalist who has had to relocate to Guernsey so she can continue in business outside the EU.

"She sells herbal painkilling tea to a recipe brought to the Caribbean from Africa in the days of the slave trade, and used successfully ever since. I know someone who had it as post-operative pain-killer following a massive operation, and it worked like a dream, with no side-effects.

`'But she was jumped on for selling her tea as a painkiller because she was not allowed to say that unless she had spent abut half a million quid on testing it as though it were a pharmaceutical product,"

"This is the madness that becomes commonplace when the EU interferes".

Another attempt made by what is essentially part of our government to control almost every aspect of our lives/business - so much for the 'free market' the EU is supposed to be the champion of (say the mainstream politicians, their words not mine because I know otherwise). The EU is yet again playing along with big business to give them a bigger piece of the pie than they already have, of course this is to the disadvantage of people who use these medicines along with the industry which sells them.

And will our political class stand up to it? no.

Thoughts, should the EU keep its nose out/should the British government stand up for British interests?

[GommeInc]

The EU should keep their nose out. It's is and should be up to us to regulate different types of trade, not some bloated organisation. The EU is a dreadful zone in which to trade with. Kenya hate the EU, because they banned their flowers from entering the Eurozone, even though they are checked before and entering the EU countries. It's unnecessary and a waste of money for the EU to do special checks, but the EU has always been bad economically.

[Ajthedragon]

Damn EU, they should be promoting good things in the EU, not deciding what gets banned within those countries. Although I would prefer all herbal makers to have recognised licences.

[Catzsy]

Again the piece needs to be looked carefully. I feel the key part to this is:

York MEP Godfrey Bloom is demanding the Government opts out of an EU directive banning all herbal medicines manufactured by unlicensed practitioners.

Would you want to buy herbal medicine from any old tom. **** or harry?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Again the piece needs to be looked carefully. I feel the key part to this is:


Would you want to buy herbal medicine from any old tom. **** or harry?

Yeah, how did we manage for hundreds of years without the EU regulating herbal medicines? Next they'll [the 'parliament'] be regulating how curved a banana can be or deciding on the standardisation of tractor seats.. oh wait.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On8JbXPkBDQ

[GommeInc]

Again the piece needs to be looked carefully. I feel the key part to this is:

Would you want to buy herbal medicine from any old tom. **** or harry?
It's a non-problem that doesn't necessarily need fixing. Some people who are unlicensed may make amazing herbal remedies. Not everyone wants to enter into a bureacracy just to sell or make their own herbal remedies. It's kinda poking fun at the gypsies or indepedent manufacturers.

[Chippiewill]

Yeah, how did we manage for hundreds of years without the EU regulating herbal medicines? Next they'll [the 'parliament'] be regulating how curved a banana can be or deciding on the standardisation of tractor seats.. oh wait.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On8JbXPkBDQ
I'm not going to lie, that's:

a) Seriously messed up.
b) Incredibly funny.

[Ajthedragon]

Yeah, how did we manage for hundreds of years without the EU regulating herbal medicines? Next they'll [the 'parliament'] be regulating how curved a banana can be or deciding on the standardisation of tractor seats.. oh wait.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On8JbXPkBDQ

That is quite hilarious. Silly EU.

[ifuseekamy]

The Queen should tell them to stop meddling in her country's affairs, it'd be like British government enforcing regulations in Canada or Australia because we own them, something the EU can't say for us.

[Catzsy]

Yeah, how did we manage for hundreds of years without the EU regulating herbal medicines? Next they'll [the 'parliament'] be regulating how curved a banana can be or deciding on the standardisation of tractor seats.. oh wait.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On8JbXPkBDQ


It's a non-problem that doesn't necessarily need fixing. Some people who are unlicensed may make amazing herbal remedies. Not everyone wants to enter into a bureacracy just to sell or make their own herbal remedies. It's kinda poking fun at the gypsies or indepedent manufacturers.

The majority of companies have known about this for a long time and have already applied and got their licenses. Would you go to an unregistered doctor or dentist? They are prescribing in exactly the same way without the benefit of the person's medical notes. Nothing is stopping people making their own but when it's for sale commercially yes I feel it should be registered.
The bananas was an absolute farce I agree.

[GommeInc]

The majority of companies have known about this for a long time and have already applied and got their licenses. Would you go to an unregistered doctor or dentist? They are prescribing in exactly the same way without the benefit of the person's medical notes. Nothing is stopping people making their own but when it's for sale commercially yes I feel it should be registered.
The bananas was an absolute farce I agree.
It sets an unnecessary prescedent. If you're buying herbal remedies from someone unlicensed, you should probably have common sense and see what goes into it like any other remedy manufacture has done for years. Herbal remedies are frowned upon by most people in the medical profession, stating they do not benefit a patient - medicals notes probably wouldn't exist with a licensed seller anyway, and if you're going intom big-time business you would probably go licensed anyway :P The main problem here is what it may do to individuals that do it as a hobby that may sell it on if people have taken a liking to it - should they be forced to enter a bureaucracy just so they can continue what is probably a harmless profession and hobby, that has somehow scared the EU? I can't say I've seen many people die from herbal remedies as a result of unlicensed resellers :P

[Calculator]

1. Unreliable sources.

2. "all herbal medicines manufactured by unlicensed practitioners."
If they can make medicines perfectly fine, then go get a license.

3. This is so damn important that BBC etc are all reporting it ... oh wait they aren't.

---------- Post added 10-02-2011 at 10:54 PM ----------

And in reply to the point that its been fine so far (the safety of these medicines by unlicensed practitioners): It could have caused illness or even death, however such news aren't "big" enough for BBC, ITV, Sky etc hence it is never reported.

[-:Undertaker:-]

1. Unreliable sources.

No idea why you just posted this when I just told you on MSN it has been reported by other sources, a quick search on google will throw up numerous results regrading this upcoming regulation from the regulation factory in Brussels;

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6013380,00.html

If I post from the Daily Mail all I get is moaning, I post from other sources and I still get moaning - can I win?


2. "all herbal medicines manufactured by unlicensed practitioners."
If they can make medicines perfectly fine, then go get a license.

Of which the article explained the costs involved and the red tape.


3. This is so damn important that BBC etc are all reporting it ... oh wait they aren't.

The biased BBC which recieves loans from the European Union aren't reporting negative EU news? really?

As they say, don't bite the hand which feeds you.


And in reply to the point that its been fine so far (the safety of these medicines by unlicensed practitioners): It could have caused illness or even death, however such news aren't "big" enough for BBC, ITV, Sky etc hence it is never reported.

Yes its a conspiracy thats been going for hundreds of years regarding herbal medicines, I mean come on lets get real here. This is just another attempt at a power grab and as GommeInc explained very well, it doesn't need regulation. The NHS for example is heavily regulated, yet has dirty unclean hospitals and many many numerous slip ups proving yet again that regulation does not work and all it does it hinder economics and limits freedoms.

To the argument that it could save a few lives concerning freak accidents in herbal medicines maybe it could - i'm also sure if we lowered the speed limit on the motorways to 25mph we would have less road deaths - the same goes for wrapping ourselves in cotton wool. Time for people to start using their heads and stop calling for the nanny state to tell you what you can and cannot do.

Personal responsibility, we all have it - so use it.

[Calculator]

No idea why you just posted this when I just told you on MSN it has been reported by other sources, a quick search on google will throw up numerous results regrading this upcoming regulation from the regulation factory in Brussels;

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6013380,00.html

If I post from the Daily Mail all I get is moaning, I post from other sources and I still get moaning - can I win?



Of which the article explained the costs involved and the red tape.



The biased BBC which recieves loans from the European Union aren't reporting negative EU news? really?

As they say, don't bite the hand which feeds you.



Yes its a conspiracy thats been going for hundreds of years regarding herbal medicines, I mean come on lets get real here. This is just another attempt at a power grab and as GommeInc explained very well, it doesn't need regulation. The NHS for example is heavily regulated, yet has dirty unclean hospitals and many many numerous slip ups proving yet again that regulation does not work and all it does it hinder economics and limits freedoms.

To the argument that it could save a few lives concerning freak accidents in herbal medicines maybe it could - i'm also sure if we lowered the speed limit on the motorways to 25mph we would have less road deaths - the same goes for wrapping ourselves in cotton wool. Time for people to start using their heads and stop calling for the nanny state to tell you what you can and cannot do.

Personal responsibility, we all have it - so use it.

Maybe it is true, however when someone posted a news story on how a American soldier raped a Afghan girl with various sources, it was trashed as the "source was not reliable" - meaning not from BBC, Sky etc. It was mainly Asian and non-British and non-American organisations reporting on it, however there was hundreds of news organisations reporting it.

So maybe you are correct, BBC etc are biased. However, I can guarantee that if someone rang them up tomorrow and reported a death due to illegal Herbal meds, they would hang up as it isn't big enough of a news for them. They are a news organisation who also need to show controversial interesting news to ensure people carry on watching.

It may cut a lot of red tape (using unlicensed practitioners) but at the end of the day, they are trying to ensure safety of the users. They do not want someone buying herbal medicines thinking its perfectly fine, only to fall ill or die due to it. It may cost a little extra to use licensed ones, however its always better to be safe than sorry - especially when its health related.

[GommeInc]

It may cut a lot of red tape (using unlicensed practitioners) but at the end of the day, they are trying to ensure safety of the users. They do not want someone buying herbal medicines thinking its perfectly fine, only to fall ill or die due to it. It may cost a little extra to use licensed ones, however its always better to be safe than sorry - especially when its health related.
Then do so at your own risk. If they're selling tainted goods, they will be punished. Adding a rule for something so damn obvious makes me wonder if the human species is getting dumber :/ I don't need a rule book to tell me not to eat dirt on the street, or point a gun at my face. I've survived well enough. It seems a bit pointless to regulate a non-problem, when if there is a problem punishment would be undertaken (business laws, health laws etc.) Another law is pointless.

[alexxxxx]

Then do so at your own risk. If they're selling tainted goods, they will be punished. Adding a rule for something so damn obvious makes me wonder if the human species is getting dumber :/ I don't need a rule book to tell me not to eat dirt on the street, or point a gun at my face. I've survived well enough. It seems a bit pointless to regulate a non-problem, when if there is a problem punishment would be undertaken (business laws, health laws etc.) Another law is pointless.

i think the real issue is that some people might see herbal remedies as solutions to real life-threatening or inhibiting illnesses and not consulting proper medical help. Should drug companies be allowed to sell drugs which have not been approved for use too? I mean all that trouble to properly test drugs does cost a lot of money!

[GommeInc]

i think the real issue is that some people might see herbal remedies as solutions to real life-threatening or inhibiting illnesses and not consulting proper medical help. Should drug companies be allowed to sell drugs which have not been approved for use too? I mean all that trouble to properly test drugs does cost a lot of money!
Hebal remedies and drugs tend to be different. Herbal remedies, for example, tend to be frowned upon by medical professionals if they are not "popular" types or contain recognisable ingredients. What about home made remedies, some people make? You do not (and should not) need a license, and I do not believe medical centres look for licenses and labels, just ingredidents and usages - it depends if hospitals, doctors and medical centres are approached by people using herbal remedies on a regular bases, or that number has somehow increased in recent years and has caused some minimal amount of concern. Drug companies are different, as they're a type of business (naturally) so they have to follow some sort of regulatory body, especially when the main ones need to be tried and tested - drugs tend to go through a different process of manufacture :P I guess the main difference here is that herbal remedies shouldn't kill you, when drugs tend to contain powerful chemicals and drugs are usually made by companies with special equipment, while herbal remedies contain natural products - one is synthetic, and one is "natural".

Interesting none the less.

[Grig]

It's completely pathetic. Herbal medicines are commonly used in the world as remedies, and to even tell a person in some countries that is banned can be classed as an insult. I think the EU is getting too much over it's head with this. I mean come on, it has more pressing economic issues to deal with and it is nit picking whatever it can for more mutual control. I think the government sometimes needs to stand up against the EU, it's like these European countries have simply lost their own sovereignty.