From Dr R. J. Woodward, MRPharmS
SIR,-My attention has been drawn to the new rules surrounding St John's wort preparations. I am surprised that the Medicines Control Agency did not take the opportunity to bring the manufacture, assembly and wholesale distribution of those products under licensing.
While the product licensing of St John's wort preparations would be very costly for the industry there could be no arguments against the other grades of licensing.
It is in the code of practice of the Health Food Manufacturers Association that manufacturing and packaging of all supplement and herbal products be carried out under good manufacturing practice conditions. All product labels would carry the manufacturers licence number so that traceability would be greatly facilitated.
The public would be better protected than at present because a qualified person would be releasing product for sale. Equally, inspectors would have access to documentation and procedures and so gather information which would be of value to the MCA when taking herbal product licensing forward.
This approach would also provide pharmacists with greater confidence when recommending those products.
Robert Woodward
Liss Forest, Hampshire