UK: Chinese Medicines Allowed to Avoid EU Ban

Suppliers of herbal and Chinese medicines in the UK will be able to avoid a ban on supplying unlicensed products.

Under a European Union Directive, which will take full effect at the end of April, it would be illegal for practitioners to supply unlicensed medicines to their customers. However, the UK Government will allow several unlicensed herbal and Chinese medicines to escape the proposed European ban.

The controversial move will see health food shops continue to stock pills and supplements such as cascara black, used as a laxative and St John's wort, which is supposed to combat depression.

Doctors and academics fear that the decision could lead to the promotion of fraudulent medical practices and expose consumers to harm.

However, many homeopaths bel