SNP MSP Supports Herbalists.

MSP supports herbalists: profession should be regulated

Thursday, 12 November 2009

MSP supports herbalists: profession should be regulated to ensure continued access to safe herbal remedies for people of Renfrewshire Dr Bill Wilson, an SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, this week met representatives of the “Save our Herbs” campaign, a group of qualified herbalists calling for the profession to be regulated so that they can continue to practise and dispense a wide range of remedies. Dr Wilson said: “I was happy to meet the campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament. Herbal medicine has a long history, and remedies dispensed by qualified practitioners, who spend years at university, are likely to be safe and effective. “However, as Claire Mullan of the ‘Save our Herbs’ campaign explained, because the profession is at present unregulated, there is a chance that the range of remedies practitioners can dispense will be severely curtailed when new EU legislation comes into force in 2011. This could even result in people ordering poor quality and dangerous preparations for themselves over the Internet. “In order to protect both the public and trained practitioners, it is important that the profession be properly regulated. I have submitted a short response to the Department of Health public consultation (that ends on 16th November) to this effect, and I would encourage others to do so. The consultation document may be long and complicated, not least because it includes Chinese Traditional Medicine and Acupuncture, subjects about which I know very little, but there is no reason why people cannot submit short statements as I did.” Catriona Stewart, MSc, PGDip, Com Ed, MNIMH, a herbalist practising in Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire said, “I know there are many people in Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire whose health and quality of life has been greatly improved because of access to professional herbal treatment. Without statutory regulation the public will be denied the security and confidence provided by registered professional Medical Herbalists with access to a full range of top quality safety-assured herbal medicines. We are in real danger of losing a vital part of our medical heritage which of course, here in Scotland, we have been able to proudly claim is of the best in the world.” Pamela Spence, medical herbalist working from the Paisley Natural Therapy Centre,said: "My patients were horrified at the thought of losing their right to choose to use herbal medicine. If herbal practitioners are not regulated immediately, this is a very real threat because of the change in law in 2011 that will drastically limit the herbal remedies available over the counter. "Our traditional herbal medicine offers a great deal to patients where orthodox treatments have failed or are difficult to tolerate due to side effects. It is vital that patients are able to access safe herbal medicines dispensed and prescribed by well-trained herbal experts, particularly where the patient is taking other medication. This is an issue of choice and of public safety."