Americans seeking herbal medicines now face confusion and even danger. There is great potential for these medicines to improve the health of consumers--if current regulations can be revised! Herbal Medicine: Chaos in the Marketplace is a prize-winning critique of the regulation and business of herbal medicine in the United States. It is the first book that examines the big picture issues-it tells the story of how the present situation developed, looks at what it means for consumers, compares approaches taken in other industrialized countries, and recommends where we need to go from here. Convenient reference tables provide easy access to information. Concerns about herbal medicines are hitting the headlines regularly, yet no other book has examined the core issues in depth from a public health perspective. Herbal Medicine: Chaos in the Marketplace fills that gap. It is highly relevant today, and you'll find it will continue to be indispensable reading for years to come as the situation plays out. This balanced, unique, and insightful volume will add to your knowledge of herbal medicine regulation and its impact on consumer health by: framing the limitations of the current situation with brief examples reviewing the regulatory history of herbal medicines in the United States placing the situation in an international context by also examining regulations in Canada, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom illustrating the practical implications of U.S. regulations with six examples that demonstrate how herbal medicines could contribute more to consumer health--and the public health risks associated with the current regulatory situation analyzing the public health issues related to safety, research, clinical practice, consumer interests, business, media, and federal government offering key, high-impact recommendations for future policy Consumers, health care professionals, business people in the domestic and foreign herb industries, researchers, health plan executives, food and drug attorneys and policymakers, as well as educators and students, will all find this book essential to their understanding of the workings of the herbal medicine industry. Visit the author's website at http://www.herbalchaos.com