As use of herbs rises, FDA seeks to regulate them

• Non-traditional medicine is no fad By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY So-called alternative medicine is in the mainstream: More than one-third of adults use it, but popularity has raced ahead of research on benefits and dangers, as well as action to protect consumers, says a federal report out Wednesday.
• There are many alternate health practices, from herbs and acupuncture to homeopathic products, chiropractic care and yoga.
• Insurance usually won't cover them, so Americans are spending more than $30 billion a year out of pocket to get them, says Stuart Bondurant, a dean at Georgetown University Medical Center.
• He chaired the Institute of Medicine expert panel asked to report on key research and policy questions by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
• A 1994 law authorized the Food and Drug Administration to set "good manufacturing practices" for supplement makers.
• The agency also can fine companies that don't meet standards, or even shut them down, says Mark Blumenthal of the American Botanical Council, an independent non-profit that promotes responsible use of herbs.
• The FDA published proposed rules in 2003 but has not issued final guidelines.
• Some herbs can be dangerous when taken with traditional medicines, and about two-thirds of Americans using alternative therapies don't tell their doctors, according to Eisenberg's studies.
• The IOM panel says the 1994 law needs to be amended to strengthen quality control and consumer protection.
• Even if the current law were fully enforced, it wouldn't yield enough information, Bondurant says.
• But Blumenthal says expecting the FDA to take on new responsibilities is unrealistic: "They lack the manpower, the expertise and the budget to deal with herbal safety issues."