Herbal Medicines Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Countess of Mar

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Introduction: Lord Fellowes of West Stafford

Herbal Medicines

Countess of Mar Excerpts

Heritage: V&A Purchase Grant Fund
Thursday 13th January 2011

(13 years, 4 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Howe Portrait Earl Howe
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My Lords, that news is a source of pleasure to me and I am sure to the whole House.

Countess of Mar Portrait The Countess of Mar
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My Lords, I concur with the noble Baroness, Lady Sharples, because I do, too. How many people have died from adverse reactions to herbal medicines compared with the number of people who have died from adverse reactions to prescribed drugs?

Earl Howe Portrait Earl Howe
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My Lords, I do not have the figures, but I am aware of a notorious case on the continent some years ago involving adulterated herbal medicines, which resulted in very serious illness for a number of women. Since 2005, the MHRA has identified 282 cases where products typically marketed as herbal or traditional remedies have been found to be adulterated with random quantities of pharmaceutical substances.

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