THERE is potential for more than 3,500 jobs and £150 million in revenue from the health product sector over the next five years if the Government creates proper regulations, according to the Irish Association of Health Product Manufacturers and Distributors.

The association said there was a growing demand for health foods and medicines as more information became available about the manufacturing of orthodox products.

The association, whose members manufacture and distribute food supplements, natural medicines and body care products, hosted the German association of health product manufacturers in Dublin for a conference earlier this week.

The general secretary of the association, Mr Jonathan Griffith, said: "Despite consumer demand, lack of free access to a home market is restricting the development of the Irish health trade, which is one of the most buoyant market sectors in the EU."

The Irish market is worth an estimated £15 million and employs about 500 people.

The association said a whole food diet supported by nutritional supplements and herb preparations improved health and quality of life.

Mr Wolfgang Reinsch, spokesman for the German association, said Irish policy in the health food sector was "outmoded and out of date".

"I thought with Ireland's history of natural remedies there would be governmental approval of the industry, but that is not what we have found," he added.

Mr Griffith said the rules governing the sale of natural medicines were "grossly unfair" as the Irish Medicines Board was composed of people from orthodox medicine who were "hostile" to the health product sector.

A number of speakers at the conference claimed that some of the US companies in the sector, which were looking for a European base, "continue to be turned away from Ireland by the lack of a sympathetic local environment".