April 2022 Volume 2 / Issue 186

Natural Medicine World Magazine Issue 186

Genes to Plate – nutrition made personal

Editor's Letter

A big WIN for Natural Medicine in South Africa!

On the 11 of April, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein upheld the judgement of the Gauteng North High Court which struck down the controversial 2017 Complementary Medicine regulations under the Medicines Act. Both the High Court and five-seat bench of the SCA unanimously agreed that the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) have no legal jurisdiction to regulate substances that are not medicines or scheduled substances, and to that extent, the 2017 regulations were ultra virus (unlawful). The verdict follows after the Alliance of Natural Health Products South Africa (ANHP), took the Minister of Health and the SAHPRA to court over contested regulations that would regulate all natural health products, defined as complementary medicines and health supplements, as medicines.

According to ANHP, it is not the statutory duty of SAHPRA in terms of the Medicines Act to regulate complementary medicines and health supplements as defined in the regulations, according to the original spirit and intention of the 57 year old Medicines Act. Complementary medicines include products such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, pro and prebiotics, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicines, sports supplements, etc.

The SCA partially upheld the challenge of the regulations. It was of the opinion that the declaration of invalidity should be suspended for a 12 month period in order for the Minister of Health (and not the SAHPRA) to exercise his prerogative to find an appropriate legal path to regulate the natural health product industry. All parties agreed in filings that appropriate regulation is needed to regulate the natural health product sector, and the court agreed.

‘This monumental case opens a new exciting chapter in the way in which natural health products are to be potentially regulated and sold in South Africa. At last, the industry has clarity on what is, and what is not a medicine. Many companies have spent many millions of Rands in an attempt to comply with the regulations and are continually hitting their heads against a brick wall with an uncooperative regulator. This SCA judgement finally delineates key issues of contention and will provide the natural health products sector much needed clarity on how they wish to proceed marketing their products going forward. They will hopefully have a choice in whether to sell their products as food-like health supplements without health claims purporting to diagnose, treat, mitigate, modify or prevent disease, or as medicines under a dense thicket of costly regulations designed around pharmaceutical medicines.', says Anthony Rees, The Traditional & Natural Health Alliance (TNHA)* Chairman.

This is a significant victory for consumers, who can now continue to access natural health products for their health and wellness in South Africa!

A big thank you to the ANHP and the TNHA and all the individuals and companies who supported and funded their campaigns.

* The TNHA is a founding member of the ANHPSA.

THANK YOU TO OUR EXPERTS

Our authors receive no payment or any other form of remuneration from us or from the industry. They take time out from their busy schedules to write articles to inspire and educate. Here’s to all of them! May their tireless and tremendous efforts bring them well-deserved rewards.

Yours in Healthy Living

Irritable Bowel or Gut Imbalance?

By Hannah Kaye|2022-10-19T21:35:40+00:00October 10th, 2019|

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Because irritable bowel syndrome has such a wide range of symptoms, the diagnosis has become something of a ‘catch-all’. Before you start any medication regimen it’s therefore essential to rule out other conditions that may be causing your digestive problems.

Popular Juice Recipes Courtesy of Nutribullet

By Daleen Totten|2022-05-14T10:46:31+00:00April 3rd, 2022|

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Fight inflammation with these anti-inflammatory foods! Especially good for sports-related muscle recovery, the ingredients are known to clear out harmful toxins, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation.

Memory Retention & Supplementation

By Daleen Totten|2024-07-06T12:06:06+00:00April 5th, 2022|

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There are many factors that can influence memory retention. In this article we share tips to enhance memory retention, the do’s and don’ts for optimal brain development and using supplements such as Bacopa monnieri, Gingko biloba and Panax ginseng.

Smoking and Vitamin C

By Dr David van Velden|2022-11-03T10:41:00+00:00April 17th, 2022|

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Smoking is the most preventable cause of ill health that we know, and every effort should be made to stop this destructive habit. Some people find it extremely difficult to stop this addiction, and clinicians are faced with the dilemma that they may have to opt for the second-best option by limiting the damage done by cigarette smoke inhalation. Since smoking initiates powerful oxidative processes in the human body, research concentrated on limiting oxidative stress by adding antioxidant vitamins to the diet.

Spotlight on Devil’s Claw

By Daleen Totten|2022-04-18T09:48:12+00:00April 18th, 2022|

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The herb devil’s claw is a perennial plant, native to southern Africa particularly the Kalahari Desert, Namibia and Madagascar. The name devil’s claw comes from the hooks that cover its fruits and the root is collected when the rainy season ends. The traditional use of devil’s claw by tribes in Africa involved the root being chopped and dried in the sun for three days to make medicinal preparations.