Western Clinical Trials Bad For Traditional Medicine

February 25, 2008

Western clinical trials bad for traditional medicine:

S African minister

Sat Feb 23, 6:13 PM ET

Traditional medicines used by African healers should not be exposed

to Western-style clinical trials, South Africa's controversial health

minister was reported as saying Saturday.

" We cannot use Western models of protocols for research and

development, " Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in a speech to a working

group set up by President Thabo Mbeki to regulate the ancient craft,

according to SAPA news agency.

" We should guard against being bogged down with clinical trials, " she

said, adding that " some of the medicines have been used by

traditional healers for thousands of years " .

Tshabalala-Msimang has faced ridicule in the past over her

championing of garlic and vegetables to help combat HIV, which

affects some 5.5 million South Africans out of a population of 48

million.

Recent United Nations' data has shown South Africa to have the worst

rate of HIV sufferers on the planet. Mbeki has also been criticised

for questioning the link between HIV and AIDS in the past.

Tshabalala-Msimang said she was not opposed to all clinical trials,

but that they needed appropriate " protocols " for traditional

medicines. She also criticised " charlatans " who give traditional

African medicine a bad name by promising results that cannot be

delivered.

Agence France Presse

Inc.

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