Herbal medicine : a legal perspective

Abstract

Although within the European Union, herbal medicines are considered as alternative medicines or are used in adjunct therapies; their use is considered as an important component of the European health care system. This is due to the fact that herbal medicine forms part of the European tradition. In spite of the diversity of options between Member States, herbal medicines used in different therapies should be made available to all European citizens. However, although the efficacy of certain medicines is rather disputable, the European Commission aims at safeguarding the European consumer by ensuring that these medicines are safe and of an adequate quality.