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Latest News (last updated 9th October 2009)
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| Severe threat to safe herbal choices |
The Department of Health recently launched a joint consultation on the Report to Ministers from the DH Steering Group on the Statutory Regulation of Practitioners of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Other Traditional Medicine Systems Practised in the UK.
Now it seems that after almost 10 years of commitment to this important step forward, which is in the public interest, there is a very real possibility that the Government will not proceed with statutory regulation. The RCHM has urged the government to carry through its clearly stated earlier committments.
If statutory regulation of herbalists does not go ahead there will be disastrous consequences for herbalists and their patients.
We asked all of our supporters and anyone who believes that the public should have access to herbal medicine, prescribed by properly trained herbalists to respond to the consultation and to write to their MP. Although the consultation has closed, and so responses are no longer possible, you can still write to your MP, using our guide.
How to write to your MP
The RCHM was been puzzled as to the purpose of another consultation exercise, when an earlier DH consultation exercise elicited clear support for the statutory regulation of acupuncture, herbal medicine and TCM from a wide range of stakeholders.
The RCHM submitted a detailed response to the consultation, explaining that statutory regulation is vital not only in the interests of public safety, but also in order to retain the viability of Chinese herbal medicine practice and thus to preserve access to a form of medicine that is highly valued by the public.
The RCHM has been able to establish a robust form of voluntary regulation for the herbal branch of TCM practice. However, a part of the sector remains inadequately regulated and this is a critical weakness in the UK Chinese medicine landscape. Chinese herbal medicine is safe when practised by appropriately qualified practitioners, but without a framework of statutory regulation covering all practitioners in the field, the necessary overall safeguards are missing. In the interests of public safety (and there is a large public wishing to avail itself of Chinese medicine) it is imperative that this issue is now resolved by putting into effect a statutory framework for TCM practitioners.
Encouraged by government commitments and DH support, the RCHM has worked for ten years alongside other professional bodies and within the European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association to prepare the way for statutory regulation. The EHTPA's own response to the Consultation Document as well as their briefing paper and letters to practitioners and herbal supporters, can be read on the EHTPA's website. |
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| Hawthorn extract 'helps blood flow' |
| Hawthorn can significantly ease the symptoms of chronic heart failure, research suggests. The herbal medicine can help the heart beat more powerfully, increasing blood flow through the arteries and reducing irregular heartbeats. For the full report visit the telegraph.co.uk or OnMedica. |
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| Chinese herbs could prevent diabetes |
The University of Western Sydney is trialling a mixture of Chinese herbs which may stop the escalation of blood sugar to levels that cause diabetes.
Evidence from China indicated the formula, Jiangtang Xiaozhi, had positive effects on those at risk of developing diabetes, principal researcher Suzanne Grant said. For the full report visit the University of Western Sydney's website.
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Bill Gates gives £7m to anti-malarial herbal research
Research into the herb Artemesia annua, or Sweet Annie has been boosted by £7m by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. The anti-malarial drug artemisinin is derived from the herb and research into a fast-track breeding programme in on-going at the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP), part of York University's biology department. Malaria kills more people than any other disease in the world.
| The herb is also known as Sweet Wormwood, or qinghao, and was used by Chinese herbalists in ancient times to treat fever, but had fallen out of common use, to be rediscovered in 1970 when the Chinese Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergency Treatments (340 AD) was found. This pharmocopeia contained recipes for a tea from dried leaves, prescribed for fevers (not specifically malaria). In 1971, scientists demonstrated that the plant extracts had antimalarial activity in primate models, and in 1972 the active ingredient, aremisinin (formerly referred to as arteannuin ), was isolated and its chemical structure described. |
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Because of increasing resistance to cheaper drugs such as chloroquine, fifty-one countries use artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) for treating malaria. The cost of production is high, however, because the yield in Artemesia annua is low even in the best varieties, and the rapid adoption of ACTs has created a shortage, which has driven up the price of artemisinin.
CNAP aims to create new, non-GM Artemesia annua cultivars with increased yield of artemisinin to reduce the cost and secure a supply, making combination therapies cheaper and accessible for people who have malaria.
"Malaria is robbing Africa of its people and potential," Mr Gates said. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting three international projects over five years.
Approved Suppliers Scheme gains new member
The RCHM's Approved Suppliers Scheme has gained a new member, bringing the total number of suppliers participating in the scheme up to ten. The scheme was launched in 2004 and is the only one of its kind in the UK.
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Tony Booker, President of the RCHM said "We are delighted that the scheme has taken off in such a positive way. Members of the RCHM using Approved Suppliers can be assured that their herbal supplies have come from a reputable source, from a company that has committed itself to a programme of quality development." |
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The MHRA (formerly MCA) have welcomed the RCHM initiative to create this list and have indicated that they are keen to work with the RCHM and its members to make sure that the scheme continues. Chinese herbal medicine has been hampered in recent years by incidences of poor practice and the Approved Suppliers Scheme is part of restoring public faith in what is an extremely effective and safe form of medicine, when practiced correctly.
Find
out more about what the Approved Suppliers Scheme means.
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