Are Herbal Remedies Regulated?

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As with anything there can be some danger of herbal medicine when not properly taken or when inappropriately used. Same of course is true with any drug.

Some would have you believe that taking herbal supplements is inherently dangerous, but they are ignoring centuries of knowledge and learning.

In the United States, all food supplements are considered a subset of food under federal law……vitamins, minerals, herbs…..those that are in capsule form, liquid form and chewable….ALL of them are regulated by federal law.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforce the laws that govern the safety standards of food supplements just like they do when it comes to all foods.

The FDA focuses its attention on ensuring the all products under its purview, including herbal supplements, are produced in a sanitary manner and in conformance with “Good Manufacturing Practices.”  These include regulations regarding potency, purity and stability.

Those who manufacture dietary supplements can’t just go pick leaves off any old bush and call them an herb, either. The FDA can stop a new dietary ingredient from being marketed if the agency does not receive enough safety information in advance.

Some of the biggest problems the FTC faces as a regulatory agency occur when unscrupulous marketers begin to tout a given herbal product as a super drug.  Organic herbal remedies can often bring about dramatic and positive effects, but they are not and should not be considered magical cure-alls. The FTC’s job it to protect the public from “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” to make sure consumers are truthfully informed. The FTC can and does stop false advertisements or other violations of the FTC Act…. the law governing trade.

Now in recent years some of these agencies have had their budgets slashed, and people in some quarters challenged the role of government to meddle in the free marketplace. But recent food poisonings related to peanuts and other traditional food stuffs have reawakened the realization that we all depend upon a safe food supply, and that includes herbal supplements.

In the final analysis, it can be generally accepted that herbal supplements like the rest of our food supply are being properly monitored.  It turns out that a good regulatory system is beneficial to those being regulated as well as the general public.

Now while a product may be pure, and properly produced, it is possible to have adverse effects if a person is allergic to it, and/or if it interacts with other drugs and medicines the person is taking.

For example Chamomile tea is a popular drink and soothing, but can cause a severe reaction in people who are hyper sensitive to Ragweed, which comes from the same family of plants.

If you are concerned about drug interactions you can get more help from the Drug Digest or from the DCRNet,

The bottom line is that the supplements consumers purchase, vitamins, minerals and herbs, are as safe as all of the rest of the food supply.