YOUR ACCESS TO THE HERBS I PRESCRIBE YOU IS AT RISK: YOUR HELP WILL BE MOST VALUABLE

THE PROBLEM
In April this year a piece of European legislation called the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive will be implemented. This cannot be overturned. It will restrict the range of herbal medicine products that I can prescribe for you and this could mean that I will not be able to provide you with the herbs that you require.

THE SOLUTION
If professional herbalists like myself become statutorily regulated by the Health Professions Council before April 2011 this will confer a legal status that preserves our right to prescribe a full range of herbal medicines. The last Government promised this almost 10 years ago but delayed on delivering it again and again. We understand that the present Government is shortly to make a decision on whether to grant such regulation or not.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: & URGENTLY PLEASE
Please write to the persons listed below along the following lines:

“I am a herbal medicine patient and rely on my herbal practitioner to support my health. I am horrified to hear that my herbalist may not be able to prescribe the herbs that I need when the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive is implemented this year. I understand that the only way to ensure that my herbalist can continue to prescribe the herbal medicines I need is for the herbal profession to be statutorily regulated by the Health Professions Council – I urge that you take this action NOW! I just want to keep being able to take my preferred form of medicine and I expect my Government to protect this right.”

Please adapt this basic message, using your own words as you wish and, if you can, add a personal comment stating why herbs are important for you.

WHO TO SEND YOUR LETTER TO
Please write a letter to each of the people below.
It is ideal if your letter is handwritten as this attracts more attention (and it makes it harder for bureaucrats to ignore) – and sent by post not email.

Your Own MP
- Find the name of your local MP here (use the Parliamentary not the constituency address)

Mark Prisk MP
Minister of State
Department of Business, Innovation & Skills
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET

Anne Milton MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Public Health)
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS

TOGETHER WE CAN SAFEGUARD YOUR RIGHT TO RECEIVE HERBAL MEDICINE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT