An introduction to herbal pharmacoepidemiology

Journal/Book: J-Ethnopharmacol. 38 (2-3), 197-208. 1993;

Abstract: Herbal pharmacoepidemiology concerns itself with herbal drug uses andeffects in large numbers of people. This new methodology can makesubstantial contributions to our understanding of herbal drug markets.Not only can it improve the timely detection and the quantitation ofadverse reactions to botanical medicines, it can also help us torecognize beneficial effects of herbal preparations. Moreover, it canincrease our social and economic knowledge about herbal drugs bycorrelating the utilization patterns of these preparations to sociallyrelevant determinants and prices. Since such studies may require aninternationally accepted herbal drug classification, a special set ofherbal classification codes is proposed, which is fully compatible withthe so-called ATC-classification. This latter system is endorsed by theRegional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization as the drugclassification to be used in international pharmacoepidemiologicalstudies.

Keyword(s): Medical:drug-efficacy

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