Sir, - I write to protest at Mr Brian Cowen's decision to make the popular herbal supplement, St John's Wort, available only by prescription. I find the decision bizarre and inexplicable, both in its content and timing.
There are no recorded instances of any adverse effects or interactions from St John's Wort. It is sold freely throughout the rest of Europe and in the United States and has been sold freely over the counter in this country for years. Yet, following a report in May by the Irish Medicines Board, the Minister last month issued a statutory instrument (SI No 271 1999) making St John's Wort available only by prescription from the New Year. Why is Ireland taking such an anti-consumer stance and why is it at such variance from the rest of Europe?
At the 48th Pharmaceutical Committee meeting in Brussels on September 27th, all 15 EU states took the unanimous decision to explore the possibility of a traditional medicines directive. This directive is to include herbal medicines. Why then, when Ireland had already signed up to explore the possibility of a traditional medicines directive, did Mr Cowen introduce a statutory instrument only a few weeks after we had agreed an EU joint approach?
The Commission is now preparing proposals for next spring. This is seen as a reasonable approach by the European Herbal Practitioners Association, who see it as both protecting the public yet enabling access to plant medicines which have been in use, to great benefit, for thousands of years.
Will the Irish consumer now find that such products as Evening Primrose Oil, garlic and fish oils are all in danger of being outlawed by the Minister and placed under arrest by the pharmaceutical industry? It would appear that the only people to benefit from the Minister's decision will be the pharmaceutical companies. It certainly will not benefit the many people who use St John's Wort or the 150 health shops and 2,000 jobs now under threat.
I find it shocking that the Minister has found the time to lead an attack on herbal medicines and natural healthcare when he has so ably dragged his feet in bringing forward major reforms in the health services. A review of this hasty and badly thought out decision must be taken now, with a withdrawal of the statutory instrument being the only sensible outcome. - Yours, etc.,
Trevor Sargent TD, Dail Eireann, Dublin 2.