Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10534

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Eberwein B, Schulz R.
Allensbach study phytopharmaceutics in 2002, part 2
Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur GanzheitsMedizin 2003; 15:(2):87-93

Abstract:

The ‘Allensbach study’ has shown vividly the strong confidence of the population in natural remedies. This is also shown in the clearly risen sales figures of self-medication. Unfortunately, on the other hand, phytotherapeutic remedies have always suffered disproportionably in the last years due to the health policy measures of the Federal Government and the health insurance system; the number of prescriptions by medics has decreased two-fold. Our worry is that through the current planned measures, for example the positive list and Aut idem, phytotherapeutic remedies will again be negatively affected. We are asking the government to accord the natural remedies whose quality has been secured the importance they deserve as is demanded from the population. There appears to be a promising scheme from the drug-licensing field at the European level. Under the new guidelines of traditional plant medicine, a difference will be drawn between the registration of traditional remedies and the licensing of plant remedies under the title »well-established use« (incl. innovative reseach results). This will be under the auspices of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA). At the national level, it is hoped that the licensing will be carried out pragmatically and as soon as possible.