Expiration dating should be mandatory and lot numbers and test results should be logged. The manufacturer should also guarantee the specific quantity of active constituents in the final product. Industry Responses McDermott and Motyka point out three new industry initiatives that should go a long way toward standardizing the safety and effectiveness of herbal products on the market. The manufacturer will then be allowed to use a seal on its product labels ensuring the consumer of a quality product. The program will be phased in by the year 2002.
Products passing their testing procedures can then carry their certification seal on the label.
They have currently validated and published methods related to six botanical species, with more being added each year. And even then, herbal supplements will still not undergo the stringent review and approval procedures that the Food and Drug Administration applies to medicinal drugs. Therefore, consumers themselves must take the initiative to ensure the quality and safety of what they are purchasing. Talk to your pharmacist, read the labels, and most importantly of all, let your physician know that you are taking herbal supplements. While most herbal products are safe if taken in the appropriate doses, they can skew the results of certain diagnostic tests and possibly interact with other medicines being taken.