SaveOurHerbs

We have come together to oppose and address the current proposals to change the regulations regarding
Herbalists and Traditional Herbal Medicines, which are to the detriment of our freedoms, our health, our
environment and our traditions.
Media coverage and general information regarding regulation has been biased towards the pro-regulatory
stance. We aim to present an alternative viewpoint in order to redress the balance.
Everyone and anyone is welcome to become a supporter of this campaign. Traditional Herbal Medicines and
herbal practitioners together provide a successful and effective system of healthcare. Herbal Medicines differ
from so-called orthodox (biochemical) medicines, in that the plants used as medicines grow in our
environment, and are therefore freely available for people to use without restriction. Traditional Herbal
Medicines have proven themselves highly beneficial over many hundreds and even thousands of years, being
used on many levels, yet still providing an exemplary safety record.
Traditional Herbal Medicine can therefore truly be said to be "the People's Medicine"
Prior to 2005 people were entitled to freedom of choice in their use of medicine. Current proposals aim to
restrict these choices further.
Everyone should be allowed to continue to choose this system of healthcare if they so wish, without
interference by the state.
Our message is simple - herbs have been freely available to herbalists and the public since the begining of
time and this should be allowed to continue. Herbalists have been able to practise freely under common law
and voluntary self regulation of their professional associations, maintaining an excellent safety record and this
should be allowed to continue.

Philip Evans has been practising herbal medicine
for 20 years, and is a member of the National
Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH). A
supporter of the original proposals for statutory
regulation, he is opposed to the proposals that have
been finally put forward, which he sees as draconian
and likely to be devastating for herbal medicine in
the UK.

Jennifer Wharam has been a practising Medical
Herbalist and Naturopath for over 20 years and
former member and director of NIMH. She
resigned her membership to become an Independent
Herbalist in 2007, due to concerns about NIMH's
support for statutory regulation and it's association
with the EHTPA (European Herbal and Traditional
Medicine Practitioners Association), which has been
instrumental in developing the final proposals for
statutory regulation.