Sir, - Dick Hogan (Southern Report, November 16th) suggests that the IMB is a Big Brother taking draconian action on St John's Wort when its availability should really be decided by public opinion. This is, in my view, completely misleading.
Firstly, St John's Wort is a medicine which is effective in treating depression. Hence it must be regulated as a medicine.
Secondly, for good medical reasons summarised by Kathryn Holmquist (Features, November 10th) the IMB considers that this medicine (like many others) should be available only on doctor's prescription.
Thirdly, this action is specific to St John's Wort and does not apply to other herbal medicines, as Mr Hogan implies.
Fourthly, I do not believe that people generally want or, more importantly would benefit by, the regulation of medicines by public opinion rather than by independent evaluation based on public health concerns, as is done by the IMB.
Herbal medicines are not new and of course they can be effective. Nevertheless, we must view them with the knowledge and technology base of 1999, not that of the ancient Chinese.
The IMB's regulation of herbal medicines is neither new nor unique. Our predecessor agency, the National Drugs Advisory Board, in its 1976 and 1982 annual reports, made perfectly plain that herbal medicines are medicines. The EU directive 66/ 65, issued in 1965, which forms the basis of national legislation in all 15 EU member states, includes herbal medicines in its remit.
I believe this issue is causing a major debate because there is an active campaign afoot against the Irish Medicines Board and its decisions. I would simply like to assure readers that the IMB's sole concern is public health and ensuring that medicines available to the Irish public meet the required standards of safety, quality and effectiveness in accordance with national legislation. The IMB has been in consultation with representatives of the alternative healthcare industry and we are quite willing to consider changes which will assure public health within the above constraints. - Yours, etc.,
Dr Frank Hallinan, Ph.D., Dip. Pharm Mfg Tech, Chief executive, Irish Medicines Board, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2.