Herb ban challenge gathers momentum, (U.K.)

November 13, 2003

November 12, 2003

Herb ban challenge gathers momentum

By Stefanie Marsh

THE actress Jenny Seagrove has joined a growing band of devotees to challenge

the ban on the ancient herbal remedy kava-kava.

Miss Seagrove, 46, who is appearing in the David Hare play The Secret Rapture at

the Lyric Theatre in London, joined forces with the National Association for

Health Stores (NAHS) to challenge a law that made it an offence to import or

sell the remedy from January 13.

Both are applying for a judicial review of the statutory order. Miss Seagrove is

part of the action because she believes that the Medicines Control Agency, which

is funded by the pharmaceutical companies through licence fees, and the Food

Standards Agency, had no legal right to forbid her to use a herb which helps her

to relax and sleep.

For thousands of years the Polynesian shrub has been used to make a soothing

drink and to treat pain and disorders including depression.

Lawyers for Ms Seagrove and the NAHS, which represents about 426 stores

supplying health foods, were arguing before Mr Justice Crane that the ban, made

in line with European Union law, was fatally flawed by a failure to consult

properly and take into account all relevant information.

Kava-kava, also known as piper methysticum, was banned as an unlicensed

medicinal product and as a food in response to 70 “possible” or “probable” cases

of supposed adverse reaction associated with its use, four of which are claimed

to have been fatal. None of the fatalities were in Britain and, opponents to the

ban argue, the cases that do exist are dubious.

Ally Broughton, director of research at the National Institute for Medical

Herbalists, said that she was surprised when the ban was imposed.

“(The ban) has forced hundreds of people who relied on the remedy to consider

prescription drugs that have many more side-effects,” she said. The hearing

continues.

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