WHO Aims for Safety in the Use of Traditional Medicines

This is Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English Development
Report.

The World Health Organization says people need more information
about how to safely use traditional medicines. The W.H.O. now has
guidelines to suggest ways for public health officials to develop
that information. The health agency is part of the United Nations.

The W.H.O. says up to eighty percent of people in developing
countries depend on traditional medicines. More and more people in
wealthy countries use them too. But the W.H.O. notes that just
because products are natural does not always mean they are safe. It
says reports of bad reactions have increased sharply in the last few
years.

In China, for example, about ten-thousand harmful drug reactions
were reported in two-thousand-two. There were just four-thousand
cases reported between nineteen-ninety and nineteen-ninety-nine.

Traditional medicines are made from plants, animal products and
minerals. The health agency says they remain largely outside
government control.

In most countries, traditional medicines can be purchased without
a doctor's order. Sometimes they are prepared by friends or by the
patients themselves. The W.H.O. says this situation raises concerns
about the quality of treatments and the lack of professional
supervision.

Lee Jong-wook is Director-General of the organization. Doctor Lee
says the W.H.O. supports the use of traditional medicines when they
have been shown to help and to have few risks. But he says
governments should have the tools to make sure people get the best
information.

Under the new guidelines, traditional healers would have to be
skilled. And they would have to be listed with the government. Also,
people would have to be informed about how and where to report
problems. Doctor Lee says governments can also use the guidelines to
create media campaigns about the issue.

The suggestions are based on the experiences of one-hundred-two
countries. The W.H.O says it hopes its new guidelines will help
educate people about the health care choices they make.

Internet users can find the document at www.who.int. The full
name is "Guidelines on Developing Consumer Information on Proper Use
of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine." The site
again is www.who.int.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill
Moss. This is Robert Cohen.