CHC to Debate Herbal Medicine Regulation

LONDONA debate on herbal medicine regulations will be held in Parliament on July 9, 2013, as an opportunity for Consumers for Health Choice (CHC) to encourage the introduction of statutory regulations for herbal practitioners.

CHC is encouraging their local members of Parliament (MPs) to attend and participate in the debate.

CHC director of strategy Chris Whitehouse said statutory regulation would boost the profession's reputation, consumer safety and confidence, and it would enable consumers to access specialized products.

 "For over two years, statutory regulation has been promised for herbalists, but we now hear that civil servants are trying to persuade Ministers to drop the whole plan," Whitehouse said. "That would be unacceptable."

In May 2013, CHC addressed rumors indicating government officials were urging Prime Minister David Cameron to go against the statutory regulation of herbal practitioners.