Statements and Press Releases

BHMA Policy on Animal Experimentation

The BHMA does neither conduct nor support research on animals in connection with herbal medicine or any other context; its policy is to promote the adoption of human alternatives to animal experiments in medical research.

BHMA Policy on the conservation of medicinal plants

The BHMA considers the maintenance of biodiversity and the conservation of plant species in natural habitats to be vital to the interests of herbal medicine, the quality of the environment and the welfare of future generations.

The Association supports the principles of sustainable harvesting and protection of endangered species, encouraging the cultivation of medicinal plants in preference to harvesting from the wild wherever practicable.

In the usage of non-cultivated medicinal plants, members of the BHMA should ensure as far as possible that:

• the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and any relevant national regulations have been observed.
• neither plant species nor their natural habitats are threatened by irresponsible harvesting or over-exploitation.

Further information on CITES can be found on the Internet from

http://www.cites.org/

or from:
CITES Secretariat, International Environment House, 11 Chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland.
Tel: +41-(0)22-917-81-39/40   Fax: +41-(0)22-797-34-17   e-mail: info@cites.org