This section provides advice on the safety and quality of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs).
On 3 September 2004, the MHRA issued a press statement warning consumers that the poor quality of some traditional Chinese medicines can pose a health risk to those using them. In it, we urged consumers not to take a TCM which is not labelled in English and advised that even the presence of English labelling is not a guarantee of a safe, good quality product.
We have also written to herbal stakeholders, reiterating our continuing concerns about the safety and quality of some unlicensed ethnic medicines, and in particular traditional Chinese medicines, on the UK market. A copy of the letter is attached here.
(158Kb)
Our document, 'Traditional ethnic medicine: public health and compliance with medicines law' (97Kb) highlights identified problem areas and aims to raise awareness of safety and quality issues which are sometimes associated with ethnic medicines.
