Local MP Backs Campaign to Save Herbal Medicines

12.47.34pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 7th Feb 2006

John Leech, MP for Manchester Withington, has backed a Commons Motion in a bid to save many of Britain's safe herbal remedies from being wiped from the shelves of health food stores.

In doing so, he has earned the thanks both of local consumers who use herbal products and a national organisation opposing these unnecessary EU restrictions.

The campaign group Consumers for Health Choice (CHC), which has over 260,000 members, welcomed the support given by Mr Leech by signing the Motion (enclosed), which warns that a new European Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products will impose crippling costs upon small businesses having to comply with new regulations.

In addition, if the Regulations result in a substantial loss of products as expected, CHC is concerned that many consumers may seek to find herbal remedies from unregulated overseas web sites putting consumer safety at risk.

Speaking today, Sue Croft, Director of CHC says:

"Of course consumer safety is paramount, but we must remember that herbal remedies have been safely used for hundreds, indeed thousands of years. The UK already has very good regulations in place to control their safety and purity. This new law may well be needed in other European countries which don't have the same high standards, but here it risks putting a millstone round the necks of those smaller businesses which often supply the specialist herbal products that millions of consumers trust to help with minor ailments in preference to pharmaceutical medications.

Croft continued:

"We are grateful to John Leech MP and to the other 80 Members of the House of Commons who have backed this Motion. Hopefully their actions will encourage Ministers and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to find a solution that will maintain consumer choice without compromising safety."

End

For further information:

Sue Croft, Director Consumers for Health Choice: Tel: 01769 581612 or 07860 286425

www.healthchoice.org.uk

Consumers for Health Choice

105 Southbank House

Black Prince Road

London SE1 7SJ

Tel: 020 7463 0696

Early Day Motion 1103:

TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS DIRECTIVE

That this House notes that the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive is now being implemented in the United Kingdom and that it permits the registration of herbal medicinal products which can demonstrate their safety and presence on the market for 30 years at least, 15 of which must have been in the European Union; observes that whilst this legislation may provide a safe legislative home for many such products in the future it nevertheless imposes substantial costs upon herbal medicines manufacturers; appreciates that these costs are proportionately higher for smaller companies which often supply more specialist and complex products; and urges Ministers and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to continue to work closely with the industry to ensure that practical solutions are found in order to minimise burdens upon business and maintain consumer choice without compromising safety.