The market

The herbal medicine tradition in some European countries remains strong, with quoted figures for herbalists being 16,000 for Germany and 4,000 for Denmark. In France as a result of legislation enacted in 1941, the marketing of herbal products passed very much under the control of pharmacists, 65% of total sales being through pharmacies. Many physicians in Europe are now reportedly prescribing an increasing number of medicines based on plant sources, as distinct from synthetic ones. The European market for herbal remedies in 1998 is estimated to be $5.5 billion.

Table 4.1 Regulatory situation of herbal drugs in selected countries

HM: herbal medicines; HP: herbal products; HD: herbal drugs; TCM: traditional Chinese medicine.