Public debate on herbal medicines

The EU directive regarding herbal medicines provides that the label shouldn’t include information related to the product’s quality of treating a specific disease. Producers criticise the provision.

Articol de Marilena Frâncu, 18 Februarie 2011, 10:39

The Ministry of Health released for public debate a bill that puts down the provisions contained in the European Directive 2004/24/EC related to herbal medicines.

During a debate that brought together experts or producers’ spokesmen, the document stirred discontent among herbal products and nutritional supplements producers.

Professor Gheorghe Mencinicopschi explained that the bill provides that the label, the presentation and the advertisement of nutritional supplements do not have to offer information about the quality of preventing, treating and curing some human diseases.

As for the directive, he thinks it can be negotiated, following the example others countries.

An inland company department manager, Radu Moldovan, explained that herbs could be put on the market under two conditions: either as medicines approved by the National Medicines Agency, as nutritional supplements such as vitamins or minerals appproved by the Ministry of Health or as products based on herbs or aromatic plants approved by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Products’ advertising and marketing will be approved by the Ministry of Health too.
Another producers’ spokesman, Daniel Raiciu, asserted that ‘if the original form of the bill passes there will be some price changes regarding nutritional supplements because more products will have to be approved, more surveys will be conducted and as a consequence prices will boost’.

Employers are against the directive

The employer’s organization "Planta Romanica" that brings together most of Romanian producers and importers of herbal medicines and nutritional supplements disagree with the bill signed by the Ministry of Health regarding the production, the import and the marketing of nutritional supplements.

The president of the company, Ovidiu Bojor, stated that the example of other European country must be followed and the research related to the qualities and the usage of herbs must be included on the presentation brochure of the products.

"Nowadays, great medicine companies fight harshly against natural remedies. Actually, it is about respecting human rights. We have the freedom to choose the best food for us."

"We have the freedom to choose the doctor we trust whether he is an allopath, a homeopath or complementary alternative medicine doctor. We have the freedom to use synthetic drugs or herbs", the president of the Planta Romanica organisation said Ovidiu Bojor adds that an advertising campaign regarding the opinion of the Planta Romanica organisation’s president will be initiated among the doctors in Constanţa.

Moreover, the businessmen sent more notices and proposals to the Ministry of Health regarding the legislation withdrawn from the Ministry’s site, on 12 February and now, they are expecting the officials’ answer.