Liability Issues

There are liability issues associated with the regulation and use of herbal products.  Before you decide to use an herbal remedy, there are several important issues related to regulation, labeling and use. 

  The FDA does not approve herbal products as medications.  They are classified as dietary supplements.

  Herbs cannot be patented. Therefore, drug manufacturers have little incentive to invest in clinical research studies. 

  The only legal requirement is in labeling herbal remedies or marketing herbal remedies is the sale of such products can not  be promoted as preventing or treating disease.  

  The FDA issued under the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 allows these products to be labeled with statements explaining their purported effects on the structure or function of the human body or their role in promoting general well-being. 

  There are a wide range of dosages and prices of herbal products.

  There is a lack of quality standards and controls.

  Most medical insurance policies do not cover alternative therapies, although coverage for this has increased in recent years.

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