Alternative directive

The European Commissioner for enterprise and the information society Erkki Liikanen has told the European Parliament that his officials are drawing up a new proposed directive on alternative medicines and have been working on the legislation since last year.

He told the parliament's Working Group on Complementary and Natural Medicine, that the proposal was likely to include measures on herbal medicinal products, 'which can rely on a very long tradition, (and) will be eligible for a simplified registration under certain conditions.'

The Commissioner added that the EC is currently working on the review of the marketing authorisation procedures for medicinal products. He said the aim of the Commission was to produce an 'appropriate regulatory framework for alternative medicines, which corresponds to their particularities while bearing in mind the indispensable requirements of quality and safety'.