The significance of phytotherapy in Europe

Abstract: To avoid controversial discussions concerning the place of phytotherapy in medical sciences the aspects of this "special overview of therapy' should be discussed on an interdisciplinary level. This in particular applies to the attention paid to phytotherapy in the European legislation. Due to numerous clinical and/or experimental studies on the efficacy of herbal drugs phytotherapy increasingly gains scientific significance. For the future in Germany, phytotherapy will encounter revaluation on an university level due to the 7th decree on the amendment of the rules for approbation of physicians. From 1993 onwards phytotherapy will also be included in the 2nd part of the Germany medical examination. The attitude of the physicians in the Federal Republic of Germany to prescribe phytopharmaceuticals differs to a large extent from their colleagues in the other countries of the European community. Not only the physicians who have a good background in naturopathy prefer in their prescriptions phytopharmaceuticals but also about 70 per cent of the general practitioners. One important reason for the acceptance of phytotherapy by many physicians is the compilation of scientifically established Drug Monographies of the Commission E (interdisciplinary expert commission at the Federal Health Office in Berlin). On the basis of the 300 published Drug Monographs by the Commission E, ESCOP (= European Scientific Cooperative for Phytotherapy) proposes now European Monographs. For the acceptance by the European Legislation this is a very important first step.

Keyword(s): Phytotherapy

Zurück | Weiter