UK moves to ensure 'access to unlicensed herbal medicines'.

摘要

At the end of April, European Union (EU) directive 2004/24/EC takes full effect, which will make it illegal for practitioners of herbal medicine in the UK to supply patients with unlicensed manufactured herbal remedies. However, in a decision that has been warmly welcomed by medical herbalists but widely pilloried by medical professionals, the UK Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley made the decision to sidestep the directive by exploiting a derogation in the legislation to enable practitioners in the UK to continue to supply unlicensed herbal medicines. The decision was taken by Lansley after the publication in February of the outcomes of a consultation by the Department of Health on the 2009 report by the late Michael Pittilo, Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK. Most of the respondents to the consultation were in favour of statutory regulation.