According to the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), nine national organizations working together as the Traditional Medicines (TM) Congress have released the first public draft of “A Proposed Regulatory Model for Traditional Medicines: Guiding Assumptions and Key Components.” This comprehensive document presents ideas for a new model for the regulation of traditional medicines in the U.S., and will now be subject to an open review process by interested individuals and organizations.

The genesis of this model goes back to 2004 when AHPA joined eight other organizations to exchange ideas about the future of traditional medicines in the U.S. These discussions culminated in the formation of the TM Congress. In seeking to emphasize both the value of traditional medicines and the responsibilities that are associated with their use, it was agreed that: The goal of the Traditional Medicines Congress is to benefit public health by ensuring access to traditional medicines in a manner that provides a reasonable expectation of public safety.

 “The current legal framework for dietary supplements provides significant options for consumer healthcare choices,” noted AHPA President Michael McGuffin. “And while some goods that have long been used as traditional medicines fit neatly into this framework, the therapeutic uses of these are restricted and many are entirely excluded. The model proposed here would completely protect the current law, while developing a new option that will benefit marketers who want to sell traditional medicines and practitioners and consumers who want to use them.” Anyone with an interest in traditional medicines is now invited to review the draft document that the TM Congress has developed. A Proposed Regulatory Model for Traditional Medicines is posted online at AHPA’s website, www.ahpa.org. The deadline for comments is March 31st.