This is Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English DevelopmentReport.
The World Health Organization says people need more informationabout how to safely use traditional medicines. The W.H.O. now hasguidelines to suggest ways for public health officials to developthat information. The health agency is part of the United Nations.
The W.H.O. says up to eighty percent of people in developingcountries depend on traditional medicines. More and more people inwealthy countries use them too. But the W.H.O. notes that justbecause products are natural does not always mean they are safe. Itsays reports of bad reactions have increased sharply in the last fewyears.
In China, for example, about ten-thousand harmful drug reactionswere reported in two-thousand-two. There were just four-thousandcases reported between nineteen-ninety and nineteen-ninety-nine.
Traditional medicines are made from plants, animal products andminerals. The health agency says they remain largely outsidegovernment control.
In most countries, traditional medicines can be purchased withouta doctor's order. Sometimes they are prepared by friends or by thepatients themselves. The W.H.O. says this situation raises concernsabout the quality of treatments and the lack of professionalsupervision.
Lee Jong-wook is Director-General of the organization. Doctor Leesays the W.H.O. supports the use of traditional medicines when theyhave been shown to help and to have few risks. But he saysgovernments should have the tools to make sure people get the bestinformation.
Under the new guidelines, traditional healers would have to beskilled. And they would have to be listed with the government. Also,people would have to be informed about how and where to reportproblems. Doctor Lee says governments can also use the guidelines tocreate media campaigns about the issue.
The suggestions are based on the experiences of one-hundred-twocountries. The W.H.O says it hopes its new guidelines will helpeducate people about the health care choices they make.
Internet users can find the document at www.who.int. The fullname is "Guidelines on Developing Consumer Information on Proper Useof Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine." The siteagain is www.who.int.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss. This is Robert Cohen.