Herbal Medicine to be Outlawed in Most of Europe

August 15, 2006

Hi all,

Below is a sneak preview of an article coming out soon in

Times online journal. To read the full version, sign up (its free!) at

In the rest of Europe (non UK), I think it's going to become very difficult

for some TCM and herbal practitioners to get their herbal medicines or

indeed to practise at all. In some Member States, particularly France and

Spain, there is a strong medical opposition to anyone practising medicine

who isn't a doctor. In other Member States such as Holland and Denmark, the

authorities are more easygoing, but it is still difficult to practise. The

EHPA has been warning colleagues across Europe about this for years, but

until now few practitioners appear to have taken the threat to herbal

practice seriously. I should note that in the rest of the EU where

non-doctor practitioners are not being statutorily regulated, no such

solution will be possible and it is likely that Chinese patents will be

driven off the market. The UK has been setting the pace for other Member

States in gaining a firm legal basis for the practice of TCM. I very much

hope that other Member States will follow the UK's example so that TCM can

flourish across Europe.

Kind regards,

Attilio D'Alberto

Doctor of (Beijing, China)

BSc (Hons) TCM, MATCM

Editor

Times

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