According to a recent survey published in the April 2010 issue of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, a newsletter for medical professionals in the United Kingdom, 71.8 percent of respondents believe consumers’ faith in herbal medicine is misplaced. Nearly 85 percent believe herbal medicines are not adequately regulated. And a majority (62.8 percent) do not provide information on herbal medicines to patients. Most health-care practitioners (75.5 percent) believe that doctors are poorly informed on herbal medicines. Nearly half (46.6 percent) felt they themselves were poorly informed on the subject. Most sought information on herbal medicines through Internet searches.
Did You Know?
The German government evaluated the safety and efficacy of more than 300 herbs and herbal combinations in The Complete German Commission E Monographs. An English translation is available from the American Botanical Council.
Steven Foster is an expert on medicinal plants.
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) Survey on Herbal Medicines. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2010; 48(4): 46–47.