Professional
Associations
Herbalism
The
British Herbal Medicine Association
The
BHMA was founded in 1964 to advance the science and practice of
herbal medicine in the United Kingdom and to ensure its continued
statutory recognition at a time when all medicines were becoming
subject to greater regulatory control.
Following the
Medicines Act 1968 the legislation applicable to herbal medicines
increased substantially. During the 1980’s as part of the EC
Review of Medicines, all UK manufacturers were required to complete
a thorough technical appraisal of their products and to provide
evidence on quality safety and efficacy to the Medicines Control
Agency.
Throughout these
years the BHMA has supported the interests of its members with
advice and comment on legislation and by providing essential
scientific information of which the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia is
a notable example.
Members of the BHMA
include companies involved in the manufacture of herbal medicines or
supply of botanical drugs, herbal practitioners, academics,
pharmacists, students of phytotherapy and others. The BHMA Board is
representative of these interests and includes four members each
with over 30 years of outstanding service to the Association.
British Herbal
Medicine Association
Sun House
Church Street
Stroud
Glouchester
GL5 1JL
Tel. +44 (0) 1453
751389
Fax. +44 (0) 1453 751402
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National Institute of Medical Herbalists
56 Longbrook Street
Exeter
Devon
EX4 6AH
Tel: 01392 426022
Fax: 01392 498963
Email: nimh@ukexeter.freeserve.co.uk
Web site: www.btinternet.com/~nimh/
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European
Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy
Founded in 1989, ESCOP is an umbrella organisation representing the
interests of phytotherapy associations across Europe and it has
established an influential role in European affairs relating to
phytomedicines. Its membership now includes national organisations
in fifteen European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The BHMA
participates strongly in ESCOP, sending delegates to all its
committees and assisting in its general management.
Aims and activities
The general aims of ESCOP are to advance
the scientific status of phytomedicines and to assist with
harmonization of their regulatory status at the European level.
With financial support from the European
Union, ESCOP Scientific Committee is preparing harmonized summaries
on the efficacy and safety of plant drugs, in an EU regulatory
format and fully referenced to published scientific literature;
these texts are being progressively published as ESCOP Monographs.
Other ESCOP initiatives include a pharmacovigilance programme and
the development of guidelines for clinical studies on phytomedicines.
ESCOP international symposia on phytomedicines, held in recent years
in Brussels, Milan, Amsterdam and Cologne, have proved a popular
forum for scientific and regulatory topics as well as an opportunity
to meet many others in the field.
ESCOP Secretariat is now located at:
Argyle House,
Gandy Street,
Exeter,
Devon,
EX4 3LS UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1392424626
Fax: +44 (0)1392424 864
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This page was last updated on 22/11/2006 23:53:25
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