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On June 25 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published final regulations for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for dietary supplements. The new rules are almost 13 years in the making, having been authorized by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). The new GMPs will guide manufacturers to help ensure that dietary supplement products in the U.S. market contain ingredients that are properly identified, free of contaminants, that the products are labels accurately, and stored properly - with appropriate testing and record-keeping. The new rules will go into effect in 1-3 years, depending on the size of the manufacturer. The establishment of these baseline requirements for manufacturing processes will hopefully help boost consumer confidence in this important category of products. Our article on this major regulatory development ("FDA Publishes Final GMP Rules for Dietary Supplements") provides more information about the new rule as well as comments from various experts and industry leaders.
Sincerely,
The Staff of the American Botanical Council
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ABC News & Appearances
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ABC Submits Comments on FDA Draft Guidelines for CAM Products
USA Today Publishes Story on New Echinacea Meta-Analysis
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Recent News
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FDA Publishes Final GMP Rules for Dietary Supplements
ODS Holds One-Day Workshop on Black Cohosh Safety
Study Indicates Black Cohosh Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Study Shows Tea Consumption Could Reduce Risk of Skin Cancers
Trials Show Flaxseed and Ginseng May Benefit Cancer Patients
Iowa Center Receives Funding to Study Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Viral Properties of Herbs
National Geographic’s Herb Book Named a “Best of Reference”
Two Companies Have Launched New Hemp Milk Products
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Launches New Degree Program Focusing on Natural Products
XanGo Documents its Humanitarian Efforts on the Web
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HerbalGram
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 HerbalGram 75 will be mailed on July 27. Featured articles include:
Safeguarding the Seeds of Native Plants: A Review of Germplasm Collection Efforts and Conservation Potential
by Megan Haidet, Mary Byrne, and Joe-Ann McCoy
Botanists, biologists, and other researchers in the United States are collecting and preserving the seeds of native plant species, including medicinal plants. By storing and protecting native germplasm, researchers hope to conserve plants’ genetic material so that they can maintain and restore native landscapes more effectively.
Peruvian Maca and Allegations of Biopiracy
by Josef Brinckmann
Peruvian scientists and government officials are trying to prevent “biopiracy” of the traditional Peruvian food and medicinal plant—maca. The Peruvian government is attempting to challenge several maca-related patents filed in the United States and Japan, which officials suspect could potentially affect exports of maca products from Peru. The author discusses the ethical and legal ramifications of biopiracy and the challenges that Peru faces in protecting its traditional botanical knowledge and resources.
Wisconsin Ginseng Farmers Fight to Protect Product, Authentication
by Courtney Cavaliere and Mark Blumenthal
The Wisconsin ginseng industry, which once served as the world’s leading producer of cultivated North American ginseng, has experienced serious decline over the past few decades. Two organizations representing the state’s ginseng growers have recently initiated efforts to revitalize Wisconsin’s ginseng industry.
Grattis! Carl Linnaeus
by Paul Alan Cox, PhD
May 23, 2007, marked the 300th anniversary of the birthday of pioneering taxonomist Carl Linnaeus, renowned for establishing the binomial nomenclature system of naming plants and animals, for his passionate teaching methods, and for his lasting contributions to ethnobotany, among other feats. The author provides a first-person account of his experiences at the recent celebrations held in Sweden in honor of history’s most famous and revered botanist.
Additional articles from previous issues are available at HerbalGram Issue List.
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HerbClip
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The latest HerbClip summaries and reviews were published on ABC's website on June 29. HerbClip Online is available to ABC members beginning at the Academic Membership level. Two samples have been made available on our website to all visitors.
Visit HerbClip Online Now
In addition to the online posting, ABC offers the HerbClip Educational Mailing Service, which is also published twice monthly and provides printed copies of reviews/summaries along with the original articles (in most cases). This unique educational benefit is available at the Sponsor Member level. For more information, please contact Aileen Truax by email or by phone at 512-926-4900 ext. 120.
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MediaWatch
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Shark Cartilage, Not a Cancer Therapy - New York Times
Studies presented at the annual meeting f the American Society for Clinical Oncology have found that shark cartilage is not effective at preventing the growth of cancer cells. There is some evidence that flaxseed and ginseng may yield more promising results.
Pollack, Andrew. Shark Cartilage, Not a Cancer Therapy. New York Times. June 3, 2007.
Congo: Traditional medicine to improve healthcare - Reuters
Government officials in Congo are working closely with physicians and traditional healers to control the quality and to advance the use of medicinal herbs by citizens in the country.
Congo:Traditional medicine to improve healthcare. Reuters. June 7, 2007.
Adopting indigenous medicine - Latinamerican Press
A Buenos Aires hospital will begin to incorporate traditional therapies to their patients in addition to conventional medicine.
Gaudin, Andrés. Adopting indigenous medicine. Latinamerican Press. June 6, 2007.
Chinese herbs catch on big in US - greatreporter.com
As the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine rises amongst acupuncturists and Western practitioners, Chinese pharmacists and herbalists see fewer Chinese and Chinese American clients.
Vega, Eddie. Chinese herbs catch on big in US. greatreporter.com. June 7, 2007.
Herbal compound promising in high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia - Urology Times
Zyflamend, a combination of 10 herbs, may be effective in reducing the incidence of prostate cancer.
Sieve, Vonne. Herbal compound promising in high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Urology Times. May 15, 2007.
Are ramps under threat? - Associated Press
A variety of leeks that grows in Appalachia is becoming scarce as its popularity among chefs and foodies grows.
Are ramps under threat? Associated Press. April 11, 2007.
Northwestern chemists develop new method for synthesizing anti-cancer flavonoids - EurekAlert!
A research team at Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University has found a new way to synthesize flavonoids using a new method they developed.
Northwestern chemists develop new method for synthesizing anti-cancer flavonoids. EurekAlert! April 4, 2007.
In Tennessee, Goats Eat the ‘Vine That Ate the South’ - New York Times
One town finds a natural solution to ridding their land of the evasive kudzu plant with the help of goats.
Emery, Theo. In Tennessee, Goats Eat the ‘Vine That Ate the South’. New York Times. June 5, 2007.
Marijuana Law in Connecticut Gains Ground - New York Times
The State Senate and House in Connecticut have left the decision to the Governor to approve or veto a bill that would allow patients registered with the Department of Consumer Protection to grow marijuana for their own personal use.
Stowe, Stacey. Marijuana Law in Connecticut Gains Ground. New York Times. June 11, 2007.
Home on the Rainforest - New York Times
Some large corporations are buying portions of land in tropical forests to offset their green house gas emissions in a trade called carbon ranching.
Hurowitz, Glenn and William Powers. Home on the Rainforest. New York Times. June 16, 2007.
A Natural Remedy? - Maclean’s
Concerns ranging from contraindications to dosage are explored as Canada’s National Health Product Directorate begins to regulate plants and products derived from plants.
Geddes, John. A Natural Remedy? Maclean’s. June 4, 2007.
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Events
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The following are just a few of the upcoming events that you will find listed on ABC’s Event Calendar.
July 14: Clinical Pharmacognosy: Contribution of Pharmacognosy to Clinical Trials of Dietary Supplements-The 48th Annual Meeting of the American
Society of Pharmacognosy. Portland, ME.
July 14 - 18: The 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of
Pharmacognosy. Portland, ME.
July 14: United Plant Savers (UpS) presents"Planting the Future". Williams,
OR.
July 17 - 20: 3rd International Congress on Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
July 18 - 20: The NBJ Newport Summit. Laguna Niguel, CA.
July 20 - 22: Natural Product Association's Natural MarketPlace 2007 Conference. Las Vegas, NV.
July 20 - 22: Southern Appalachian Folk Medicine with Phyllis Light.
Charlottesville, VA.
July 25 - 27: 3rd Annual Southwest Lavender Conference. Pojoaque, NM.
July 30 - August 6: Explore Peru with Dr. James A. Duke, Botanical
Medicines from the Amazon, Optional extension to Machu Picchu August
5th-9th. Peru.
July 31 - August 3: 51st International Hop Growers Convention. Yakima,
WA.
August 16 - 20: ICMCM Conference. Wanchai, Hong Kong.
August 22 - 24: 1st World Conference on Life Sciences and Traditional
Medicines. Espoo, Finland.
August 31 - September 3: Aromatic Medicine Seminar. Sebastopol, CA.
October 23 - 24: Healthy Foods European Summit. London, UK.
Thank you for your continued support of the American Botanical Council!
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© 2007 American Botanical Council | http://www.herbalgram.org/
American Botanical Council, 6200 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723 | Mailing address: PO Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714-4345 | Phone: 512-926-4900 | Fax: 512-926-2345 | Email
The information in this email is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional. The American Botanical Council does not endorse or test products, nor does it verify the content or claims made, either implicit or explicit. ABC does not accept responsibility for the consequences of the use of this information or its most up-to-date accuracy. ABC is a nonprofit, tax-exempt research and education organization under IRS section 501(c)(3). All text, images and content Copyright © 2007 American Botanical Council, unless otherwise noted.
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