Doctors are sceptical about public enthusiasm for herbal medicines – but in fact know little about the subject, experts reported today.
Most doctors regard their patients as "poorly informed" about herbal treatments, researchers found.
But barely half of doctors would claim a reasonable knowledge of herbs, according to a study in the influential Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.
The bulletin surveyed its subscribers to find out their reaction to patients taking herbal medicines. About 80 per cent of those who replied were doctors – mostly GPs.
Just 13 per cent said they would always check whether a patient was taking herbal medicine – and 55 per cent said they would, at most, ask occasionally.
And just three per cent admitted to a "great deal" of knowledge on herbal medicines.
Bulletin editor Dr Ike Iheanacho said: "It’s obviously worrying that doctors in general seem to know so little about herbal medicines, given the widespread use of such products.
"The fact that few doctors make a point of asking patients whether they are taking herbal medicines raises further safety concerns.
"Similarly unsettling is that even when doctors don’t know the effects of a herbal medicine a patient is taking, many won’t try and look these up."
Commenting on the findings, Michael McIntyre, chair of the European Herbal Practitioners Association, said doctors seemed to fear being "pulled back into the swamp" of the days before science when herbs were the main form of medical treatment.
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