§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the suitability of the Medicines Control Agency as the regulatory body for herbal remedies. [84182]
§ Ms BlearsMany medicines contain plant ingredients or have been derived from plant sources. The Medicines Control Agency and its predecessor within the Department has regulated plant based medicines for many years. The MCA is internationally recognised for its regulatory expertise and we are satisfied that the Agency should continue to regulate herbal medicines. We also take the view that regulatory efficiency and effectiveness would be impaired if responsibility for the regulation of medicines were to be split between different regulatory bodies, depending on whether or not a medicine was plant based.