There are no systems in place to evaluate and monitor the flood of herbal medicine claiming to cure a host of illnesses in this country.
And to make matters worse there is no redress for customers who purchase these drugs.
In fact, such drugs were treated as “normal drugs” as it is not a separate classification of drugs.
This was heard before yesterday’s Joint Select Committee (JSC) meeting which was chaired by MP Marlene McDonald and which examined the draft summary of recommendations and conclusions of the 41st meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED).
The issue was raised by MP Rodney Charles who said he was disturbed by the influx of herbal advertisements including some which claimed to “make you a harder man.”
Asked about this Faraz Khan, chief chemist of the Food and Health Division in the Ministry of Health, said: “There were presently no regulations pertaining to herbal supplements but there is a subsidiary committee to look at this but regarding the advertisements I cannot say whether they have been approved.”
He said previous drug advisory committees had looked at the issue but a “total comprehensive” strategy was yet to be determined.
Mc Donald , who said she was taken back by Khan’s response, added that this was a matter of national concern.
“We have to be careful as citizens. These drugs are quite expensive and there is no redress. These herbal drugs are mushrooming all over the country,” she said.
Asked whether any testing was done before herbal drugs were placed on the market Khan said the lab has been under repairs for the past two years.
“I cannot say to this committee it has been tested. At this point in time there is none being done by the chemistry food and drug laboratory. For imported drugs we ensure those are accompanied by a notice of approval,” Khan said.
But Mc Donald said a notice of approval was insufficient as more measures were needed so as to prevent “dumping” of drugs in other countries.
Refurbishment works were expected to be completed within the next eight months.
On whether fish purchased in T&T was safe for consumption Khan said most imported fish is accompanied by a health certificate to ensure it satisfied the law of that particular territory.
On local supplies he said that responsibility fell between the Health Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry.
Childhood obesity
In 2009 an evaluation study was undertaken which indicated that with respect to overweight issues in school children ages five to 18 that problem had increased from 11 per cent in 1999 to 23 per cent in 2009 representing an increase on 119 per cent, the committee heard.
Regarding obesity alone, which entailed body weight in excess of two standard deviations from the norm, there was a 400 per cent increase over the same ten year period.
Due to this there is likely to be an earlier on set of diabetes and hypertension, resulting in a financial strain on the health sector.
Changes in behaviour and culture were primarily needed to address this, it was recommended.
Richard Madray, permanent secretary of the Health Ministry said in July this year Cabinet agreed to a strategic approach including tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Director of Health Education, Yvonne Lewis, said initiatives have put in place to examine the nutritional value food offered to children in schools.
She said a lot of the extra calories were contained in sugary beverages and the sale of this in schools was being looked at.
Lewis said , however, that childhood obesity must not only be addressed at the primary school level but from infanthood.