EMA: HMPC Meeting Report published

On 27 November, 2017, the EMA's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) published the HMPC meeting report about their meeting held from 20-21 November, 2017.

One of the meeting's key issues was the reflection paper on "Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons".

The HMPC decided for the comments received on reflection paper EMA/HMPC/300551/2015 to be published. HMPC approves the step-by-step approach suggested by the participants. The parties involved agreed to collect and share data.

Presently, the data available on contamination levels in herbal medicinal products is still very limited and therefore inadequate to serve as a basis for specific requirements and standardised controls. HMPC will also consider requirements from the food sector when determining limits for updating quality guidelines for herbal medicines in the future.

It was further decided by the HMPC that the Q&A document on herbal medicinal products is to be supplemented by a question on the difference between European monographs on herbal medicines and the individual "Product SmPCs".

For more deailed information please see the comprehensive "HMPC meeting report on European Union herbal monographs, guidelines and other activities" as well as the Herbal medicinal products: questions and answers.