New UK echinacea warning
August 21, 2012
UK AUTHORITIES have issued a
health warning that children under
12 should not take the popular
herbal remedy echinacea.
The warning by the Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) follows findings by
the European Herbal Medicinal
Products Committee (HMPC) and
from the UK Herbal Medicines
Advisory Committee that the
perceived benefits of the use of
echinacea in children under 12
years are outweighed by the
potential risks in this age-group.
The risks, according to the trio
include the potential (although
low) for severe allergic reaction.
“This is not a serious safety issue,
but parents and carers need to be
aware that children under 12 could
have a low risk of developing
allergic reactions, such as rashes
from oral Echinacea products,” said
Richard Woodfield, the MHRA’s
Head of Herbal Policy.
“The MHRA is working with the
herbal sector to ensure that all oral
echinacea products are re-labelled
with a warning that they should not
be given to children under 12.
“The measures being taken are
precautionary in nature.
“Parents should not worry if they
have given echinacea to children
under 12 in the past,” he added.
MEANWHILE parents and
healthcare practitioners are also
being advised that children aged 12
years or over and adults can
continue to use oral products
containing echinacea as the risks
of side effects in older children and
adults are reduced because they
weigh more and in general catch
fewer colds.
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