"Unlike prescription medications, which have to pass muster with the Food and Drug Administration to prove they are both safe and effective, herbal supplements do not."
-- Right, they are not drugs. They DO have to "pass muster" with the Food and Drug Administration's DSHEA, which regulates dietary supplements for the safety of the general population. The DSHEA has specific language about contaminants & so on. Herbs are not classed as drugs, nor should they be. But they are under scrutiny by the FDA.
"While a few randomized controlled trials (the gold standard in medical research) have been done, says Jahangir, there is a general lack of evidence about safety and effectiveness of the herbs used for centuries for medicinal purposes."
--They don't know if they're effective, but they've been used for centuries? The RCT is a fairly recent invention of modern, scientific medicine; i.e. the past 160 years. There is plenty of controversy among scientists about the effectiveness of the RCT.
"An important point, he says, is that the herbs have not been investigated in specific populations, like the elderly or immuno-suppressed individuals..."
--The same can be said of drug investigations/trials. Most are conducted on populations of healthy adults. Oh, and btw, there are studies that have been done on specific populations.
If a person is "taking" or "using" herbs in the same way as they take or use drugs, then they need to work with a herbalist, acupuncturist or naturopath. Herbs are NOT drugs and are not meant to be "used" in that fashion.
Lisaof MN5:39PM February 02, 2010
If herbs like garlic can increase the pharmacological effect of warfarin, why aren't the authors of this study taking advantage of this "untoward effect" ?
It would seem to me that garlic is whole lot safer than rat poison....
Nimboof NJ10:53AM February 02, 2010
I have worked extensively in drug research in the past and left because of the blatant disregard for the health of the public demonstrated by the drug companies. They most certainly do not have our best interests at heart and neither does the FDA. Be afraid - be very afraid.
The problem doesn't lie with the herbal supplements. It lies in taking the drug along with the herb. Herbs are not standardized, but many have been proven through the test of time and empirical evidence. The author of the article has the gall to blame the herbs for being effective. So effective that they potentiate the drugs. And they call that a negative side effect. On the contrary, it clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the herbs. The problem lies with the public willy nilly mixing the drug with the herb without knowledge or experience and with the allopathic doctors who bad mouth herbs without any knowledge or first-hand experience with them.
Herbs are the People's Pharmacy. They are effective and usually have very few side effects. But because they are powerful, they should be treated with the respect they deserve. Get educated. Don't mix drugs with your herbs unless your are very, very knowledgable about what you are doing. And it is my experience that most allopathic doctors are not well experienced with herbs and cannot make a truly educated or unbiased assessment of the value of their use. A naturopathic or Chinese or Ayurvedic Medicine doctor would be a much better choice. Get educated. Take back the responsibility for your own body.
Herban Nurseof CA11:40PM February 01, 2010
How many pages does one have to open before actually seeing the list of nine herbs/supplements to avoid? I gave up after three.
Daveof CA11:08PM February 01, 2010
I AGREE WITH TANK.
GUS ALBURATIof CA6:50PM February 01, 2010
Because herbal supplements are not standardized or tested for specific disease and safety like "big bad" pharmaceutical drugs are. Doctors prescribe these drugs because they are proven to help, and for a specific purpose.
Pricing and cost of drugs is one thing, but it is absolutely ridiculous to want newspapers and the media to say that "prescription drugs are interfering with herbal supplements." Please, get some common sense.
MDof NY6:23PM February 01, 2010
Why not claim that pharmaceuticals are not safe to take with herbal supplements? Oh, I know why not... because these stories are pushed by the drug companies. Don't trust the corporations. They don't have our best interests at heart - just profits.
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Lisa of MN 5:39PM February 02, 2010
Nimbo of NJ 10:53AM February 02, 2010
Herban Nurse of CA 11:40PM February 01, 2010
Dave of CA 11:08PM February 01, 2010
GUS ALBURATI of CA 6:50PM February 01, 2010
MD of NY 6:23PM February 01, 2010
Tank Risco of NJ 5:28PM February 01, 2010