Herbal Supplements: Perceptions, Risks and Need for Improved Regulation

Herbal supplements have become widely used in the United States to treat a variety of ailments. Though the market for these supplements have grown since the passage of the 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, the FDA has failed to expand its regulation over these products. Herbal supplements in the United States have been found to be contaminated, misbranded, and sold at unsafe doses. These issues can seriously affect the health and safety of consumers. The issue with the quality of these products is coupled with the lack of knowledge about herbal supplements. Scientific research is severely lacking when it comes to herbal supplements, concerning both the efficacy and safety. The use of herbal supplements is not usually discussed with the individual’s medical practitioner which can leave the users vulnerable to herb-drug interactions. In this paper I argue that in order to ensure consumer safety in regard to herbal supplements the FDA must expand its regulation of these products. Conventional medical practitioners also need to familiarize themselves with these supplements and ensure their patient is using these products appropriately