EDQM Publications on Herbal Food Supplements

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) has published two new documents on herbal food supplements, one for healthcare professionals and one for consumers:

• Herbal Food Supplements – Guide for Healthcare Professionals
• Herbal Food Supplements – Leaflet for Consumers – Understanding Herbal Food Supplements

Background

Herbal food supplements (HFS) are described as “concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances that are intended to support, enhance or optimise the healthy function of the human body”. They are becoming more widely available to consumers, raising concerns about their safe and appropriate use, quality, potential interactions, and misleading claims.

Therefore, the EDQM documents highlight safety considerations, key counselling points, common misconceptions, regulatory aspects and the importance of consulting a healthcare professional before purchasing or using such products. This is particularly important for special or vulnerable populations, such as pregnant or breastfeeding women and elderly people. The documents also emphasize the importance of following labeling instructions and healthcare professionals' recommendations to minimize potential risks associated with these products.

A multidisciplinary working group drafted the documents under the overall coordination of the Committee of Experts on Quality and Safety Standards in Pharmaceutical Practices and Pharmaceutical Care (CD-P-PH/PC). The goal was to provide practical, harmonized information and guidance to promote the safe and appropriate use of HFS.

Electronic versions of these documents can be downloaded from FreePub, the EDQM’s free publications platform. More information is available in the EDQM Newsroom.