http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/57/65959.htm?pagenumber=2

Should herbal remedies come under more FDA regulation?

I do believe herbal remedies should come under regulations, because more and more people are using them, trying to get well, lose weight, etc. I know a few people that have tried some and didn't see any improvements.

I agree with Honilov.
The quality of the herbs and any additional ingredients in the products need to be closely regulated.

Also the actual effectiveness - plus any side-effects - should be studied so the public can know exactly what they are taking and what they should expect.

Another thing that many people don't realize is that the various parts of the plants (stems, leaves, etc) have different strengths and sometimes different properities. To cut costs some companies use both leaves and stems reducing the effectiveness or strength of each tablet (or preparation).

There needs to be more regulation about HOW the herbs are prepared and sold to reduce discrepancies.

Also, most people don't realize that some of the herbs that they are taking can change how their medications work in you.. that is the herbs can react with normal perscription medications.

That is why you need to tell the physician about EVERYTHING you take.. that Saint Johns Wort might react with something else you take.

People should be very cautious with herbal remedies. They should be regulated because a lot of people have no common sense.
It is absolutely imperative that you discuss all medication with your physician, because not only do drugs interact but so do herbal remedies. An herbalist might be more knowledgeable than a physician about such things, but always talk to your doctor.
Also, many plants are beneficial when prepared on way and harmful when prepared another, and ones you would least expect are poisonous. So people must be very careful.

At least one vote for absolutely not.

Alternative treatments provide a valuable resource for many people who either prefer, or cannot afford the outrageously priced "regulated" remedies of traditional medicine.

Sure it takes more knowlege and study to get desired results, but just because some people are stupid is not a good reason to impose costly regulation that will invariably cause supplier to leave the market, and leave us only with the choices provided by about 4 large pharmaecuetical companies.

Testing for effectiveness should be done, but it is being done slowly because there aren't deep pockets (drug companies) to fund the testing. It would be nice if we could keep people from wasting their money on things that don't work (Im not saying that all herbal remedies don't, but there are some that don't and gullible people spend a lot of money on them) but this isn't realistic.
There are two reasons that some sort of regulation should exist, however. First is that some herbal remedies have in fact been proven dangerous (and taken off the market because of it). Second, there is absolutely no guarantee that the ingredients are even what is listed. This includes vitamins (although I believe there are laws being passed to reform the vitamin aspect). These remedies aren't considered drugs or food, so there is no one with the authority to check that the ingredients match the label.

Another vote for "absolutely not."