Echinacea cold remedies are ‘dangerous’ for small children….

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19 September 2012

Health regulators have taken the first steps towards a total ban of natural products that contain Echinacea, campaigners fear. UK and Irish authorities have this week warned parents against giving young children natural cold remedies that contain the herb.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Irish Medical Board (IMB) say Echinacea can cause severe allergic reactions in children under the age of 12. Product labelling will have to incorporate the warning.
Astonishingly, the warning is based on almost no evidence, other than one study. The herb is considered to be safe by the authoritative European Medicines Agency.
The Alliance for Natural Health, which campaigns against restrictions on natural health products in Europe, believes the MHRA is testing the waters. If there is no outcry to the warning, it may push on with a complete ban of the herb, it fears.
Send your protest to: richard.woodfield:mhra.gsi.gov.uk, or write to him: Richard Woodfield, Head of Herbal Policy, MHRA, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 1SZ.
(Source: ANH website: http://anh-europe.org/news/anh-intl-campaign-feature-uk-authorities-go-after-echinacea-for-kids)

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