A ban on the sale of the herbal product St John's Wort, without prescription, is to be enforced from next week, the Irish Medicines Board has announced.
In spite of opposition from the Health Products Alliance, the board has confirmed that it is going ahead with a ban on non-prescription sales of St John's Wort from January 1st.
A spokesman for the IMB said it expected manufacturers, distributors and health food stores who have sold the product up to now to comply with the law.
The Health Products Alliance, which represents alternative practitioners, health food stores and distributors, said yesterday it was "appalled at the lack of democracy and denial of freedom of choice" in proceeding with the restriction when the remedy had a record of safety going back centuries.
However, earlier this month the medical journal, the Lancet, carried a report of emerging evidence of adverse reactions to St John's Wort.
More than 75,000 purchases of the herb were made in the Republic this year by people seeking an alternative treatment for mild or moderate depression.
The IMB recommended that the product should require a prescription amid concerns about potential side-effects if it was taken with other medical formulations such as cough mixtures or anti-depressants, or with foods containing tyramine, such as red wine or cheese.
The Health Products Alliance has questioned whether those using the herb will be able to get it on a doctor's prescription, since no St John's Wort products have been licensed by the IMB for sale through pharmacies in the Republic.
The IMB, which has responsibility for licensing human medicines, advises the Minister for Health on drug safety issues and has powers of enforcement. It advertised recently to recruit enforcement staff.
"We wish to see the law is complied with," the IMB spokesman said. "Everybody is aware of the changes announced by the Department of Health. The IMB anticipates that those involved in the sale and distribution of St John's Wort are law-abiding people. We believe they will comply with the law."
A working group has been established to look at alternative health products. It includes representatives of the Department of Health, the IMB and the alternative health sector. While its terms of reference have yet to be finalised, it will be able to review the St John's Wort issue and the licensing of such products.
Ms Erica Murray, a spokeswoman for the Health Products Alliance, said that the alternative health sector had been dismayed by the Minister for Health's decision to proceed with the restriction.
Ms Gabrielle McAuley, of Consumers for Health Choice, which compiled 65,000 signatures against the restriction, said she had hoped for a last-minute reprieve. Herbal products, homeopathic remedies and vitamin/mineral supplements did not require the same rigorous forms of testing as did pharmaceutical drugs, and they should be licensed in a different way, she said. "Our campaign will continue", she added.
