MHRA to investigate herbal medicine

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is to investigate regulation of herbal medicines.

The new Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee (HMAC) met for the first time yesterday to give ministers and the MHRA independent expert advice on the recently introduced registration scheme for traditional herbal medicines and on unlicensed herbal remedies.

The committee is chaired by Philip Routledge, professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Wales College of Medicine and member of the Medicines Commission.

Sitting alongside professor Routledge on the committee is a practitioner of oriental medicine, a GP, a lecturer in herbal medicine and other experts.

HMAC also includes lay members to make sure not only the scientific and medical aspects of medicines regulation are covered but also wider issues.

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