Tuesday 10 May 2011

Save herbal medicine in the EU!!

The EU Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) is now in force, effectively banning herbal remedies which have not been in use within the EU for 30 years.  This includes Chinese, Ayurvedic and African medicines.  Many other herbal remedies will not have been licenced due to the prohibitive cost (£50,000-£120,000) and therefore small manufacturers will also go out of business.  The full effect of this ban will probably not be realised for a few months yet as existing products are allowed to be sold until their expiry date, but after this date many will find that the product they have been using to keep healthy is no longer available.

One of our European Human Rights is to be able to choose which form of medicine that we wish to use.  This is now being taken away from us, meaning that many will turn to pharmaceutical products which have more side effects and are not necessarily safer or more rigorously tested.

My fear is that this ban opens the gateway for organic produce to be removed from sale to be replaced by GM foods.  Next we will be unable to grow our own produce meaning that there will be as high a price to pay for growing mint & rosemary in the garden as marijuana.

Please sign the petition to protect our right to choose here:
Avaaz petition

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