Industry Not Motivated to Study Drug-Herb Interactions

Sunday, June 15th 2003

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Neither drug companies nor herbal-supplement makers are very interested in studying the interactions that may occur when conventional medications are combined with herbal remedies, according to a recent commentary.

Concerned about the lack of information on drug-herb interactions, researchers at the UK's Peninsula Medical School, sent surveys in October 2001 to the heads of research and development at the top 14 herbal supplement makers and the top 30 pharmaceutical companies by market share.

They asked the companies whether drug-herb interactions were considered important and whether studies of those interactions were being conducted. The survey also asked whether funds were set aside to study the topic, and if so, how much of the 2000 research and development budget was allocated.

Only 15 companies replied fully to the questionnaires. Another 5 responded but did not fill out the survey completely, and 24 did not respond at all, lead author Dr. Joanna Thompson Coon told Reuters Health.

Sixty-seven percent of the respondents considered herb-drug interactions to be important, but only three manufacturers said they had conducted studies, and only two regularly allocated funds to such research. Those companies, both supplement makers, set aside 5% to 6% of their research and development budgets for the studies.

"These findings suggest that there is a widespread lack of interest in herb-drug interactions within the pharmaceutical and herbal industries and highlight the lack of research currently being undertaken," the authors in the June 9th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"I think we don't know how big a problem [herb-drug interaction] is as yet," Dr. Thompson Coon said. And without that basic data, "it's quite difficult to monitor...patients," she added.

Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1371

Footnote from Idealhealth

We believe that the "lack of interest" has nothing to do with not being intrested, but more related to money. Remember that you cannot patent a herbal product - so why put the research $ into something that any person can just grow in their garden?

 

If you need help or advice, you are welcome to email our naturopathic team with your health question.

Disclaimer: The health information presented here has been written for the New Zealand health consumer. It is of a general nature and is only intended to provide a summary of the subjects covered. The information is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide medical advice to you. While all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, no responsibility or liability is accepted, and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided. All health ailments should be treated by a qualified health professional.

 

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