Sir, - The traditional herbal remedy St John's Wort has been classified as a prescription-only medicine in Ireland from next January. The Irish Medicines Board has not given an explanation for this decision either to Irish health industry organisations or to the many thousands of consumers who use this herb daily.
It has been rumoured that the decision has been taken because of possible interactions between St John's Wort and certain foods or medicines. If this is the case, what evidence does the IMB possess, and why has it acted to leave Ireland unique among our European partners in restricting this herb in this way?
If the IMB has evidence that St John's Wort is dangerous, it must publish it and it must examine how the regulatory authorities in other countries respond. If the IMB has indeed recently become a world authority on the safety of herbs, and if it publishes compelling reasons for its decision, it stands to reason that the FDA in America and the MCA in the UK will review their evidence and follow suit.
Of course this will not happen as most countries have reviewed the data on St John's Wort and have correctly decided that it is a safe, effective herb which should be allowed on free sale.
If you care about the future of natural remedies and your right to use safe alternatives to drugs to promote better health for yourself and your family, you need to act now. Visit your nearest health store and sign the petition to maintain freedom of choice. Contact your TDs to make representations to Brian Cowen to have this decision reversed.
In a similar battle in the UK last year on vitamin B6, people power won the day and the decision was reversed. We must make sure the same result is achieved in Ireland and the IMB sticks to the task it was set up for - regulating medicines. - Yours, etc., John Philpott,
Woodlands, Frankfield, Cork.