Although you don't need a doctor's prescription for herbs, you should tell your health care providers about any herbs you are taking, suggest Iowans who responded to a University of Iowa Health Care survey. According to the results, both respondents who did and didn't use herbs indicated that they believed that physicians should be aware of herb use. D., UI assistant professor of pharmacy. Klepser serves on the advisory panel for the UI Family Care Center's Alternative and Complementary Care Clinic and advises patients about the use of herbal therapies. Herbal therapies are becoming increasingly popular.
Some people use herbs as alternatives to traditional medications.
Others use natural drugs to complement or supplement prescribed drugs and treatments. Herbal products are officially classified as dietary supplements. Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate them nor do herbs require post-marketing safety surveillance. This means that the burden of identifying and reporting herb-related adverse affects falls to health care providers. Another big concern is drug interaction.