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With
the aim of providing information about adverse events associated with
herbal medicine, we conducted a pilot for a national survey project to
assess the level of safety for patients receiving treatment with Chinese
herbs. Our wider goal is to help patients make informed choices about
treatment and provide policy makers with robust evidence on safety as a
contribution to decision-making on widening access within the NHS.
In
collaboration with MSc student Bin Liu and practitioner members of the
Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, 72 herbal practitioners helped us
recruit 170 patients. Of these, 126 (74%) have provided us with details of
adverse events that they associated with taking Chinese herbal medicine
over a four week period. No serious adverse events were reported, and
fatigue was the most commonly reported minor adverse event.
Recommendations for a full-scale study were also made, see MacPherson
& Liu (2005), MacPherson & Liu (2006).
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Key publications:
MacPherson H, Liu
B. The safety of Chinese herbal medicine: a pilot for a national survey. Journal of
Complementary & Alternative Medicine 2005; 11(4): 617-626.
MacPherson H, Liu B. What patients report on adverse reactions to prescribed Chinese
herbal medicine. Register for Chinese Herbal Medicine Journal. 2006, March, 33-37.
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