Manufactured herbal medicines placed on the UK market are required to have either a Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) or a marketing authorisation (MA), granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This applies whether the product is marketed to consumers, herbal practitioners, retailers, or wholesalers.Registered herbal products can be identified by the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) logo shown above and the registration number on their packaging. THR is a scheme to help consumers be confident that the herbal products have been assessed for quality, safety and good manufacturing to ensure that they are acceptably safe to use. The products should be accompanied by a leaflet with information on how to use the product with possible side effects listed.
Herbal products should be used with the same caution and care as any other medicine as their use will have an effect on the body. While many herbal remedies and medicines are reasonably safe, it is important to remember that just because it contains natural ingredients and extracts this doesn’t guarantee it is safe.
People should always consult with a pharmacist or doctor to make sure that a herbal remedy or medicine is suitable for them to take and will not interact with any other medicines they may be taking.
When buying herbal products you should look for those that have a traditional herbal registration which can be identified by a THR number on their label. This ensures that the product is acceptably safe to use and avoids consumers putting their health in jeopardy.
