Banning sales of herbals in the UK

This, just in from The Independent.

Dr. Peter Canter and Professor Edzard Ernst from the Peninsula Medical School at the University of Exeter called yesterday [Oct 3] for the sale of herbal medicines to be banned unless evidence of their efficacy can be shown.

The good doctors advise that where there are known risks and no evidence of benefit, there can be no justification for allowing them to remain on to the market.

The bottom line?
Professor Ernst is certainly a critic of herbals. However, he has also come to the defense of CAM, and recently published a positive review.

The article describes Prof Ernst and his colleague as having “launched ? [an] assault on herbal medicine.” Professor Ernst, a professor of complementary medicine, is described as “a thorn in the side of the alternative medical lobby.”

Rubbish.

I think he’s just appalled that there is so much low quality work that passes as research in herbal medicine. And I, for one, agree.

10/4/07 09:26 JR