Re: Benylin

[Guest guest]

From: " Tim Lane "

>Do you know what restrictions (if any!) that regulations impose for the

>medical claims a manufacturer can make in a drug/herb combination (I am

>half expecting you to say that there are none!)

>

Dear Tim,

I don't know the answer to that one.

It's disconcerting if there's one rule for herb/supplement/food combos and

another for herb/medical drug combos.

There are many OTC medicines that contain herbs plus chemicals/medical

drugs/supplements/foods in varying proportions: where do you draw the line?

I suppose the Benylin-Echinacea combo is " accepted " because E has been

clinically tested. But I don't suppose they trialled the combo itself - just

added two separately tested items together and made the claim accordingly.

Yours,

Morag Chacksfield BSc, MNIMH

moragchacksfield@...

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[Guest guest]

Dear Tim,

I am sure that under current medicines law it is illegal to combine in a

product a herbal medicine with a vitamin, mineral or drug without a

medicines licence. It's going to be increasingly difficult to argue that

such combination products are foods. The 68 Medicines Act only exempts herbs

from the need for licensing as medicines. Combination products of the kind I

have mentioned do not qualify for that exemption. Herbal products that are

unlicensed may not make claims but any licensed medicinal product can of

course do so.

McI

Re: Benylin

From: " Tim Lane "

>Do you know what restrictions (if any!) that regulations impose for the

>medical claims a manufacturer can make in a drug/herb combination (I am

>half expecting you to say that there are none!)

>

Dear Tim,

I don't know the answer to that one.

It's disconcerting if there's one rule for herb/supplement/food combos and

another for herb/medical drug combos.

There are many OTC medicines that contain herbs plus chemicals/medical

drugs/supplements/foods in varying proportions: where do you draw the line?

I suppose the Benylin-Echinacea combo is " accepted " because E has been

clinically tested. But I don't suppose they trialled the combo itself - just

added two separately tested items together and made the claim accordingly.

Yours,

Morag Chacksfield BSc, MNIMH

moragchacksfield@...

_________________________________________________________________

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Graham White, MNIMH