6th International ESCOP Symposium

May 10-11, 2001
Bonn

HERBAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS

- Scientific strategies in Europe -

Beethovenhalle
Wachsbleiche 16
Bonn

The Symposium will bring together leading scientific opinion with regulators and practitioners to consider the cutting edge questions facing prescribers, dispensers, manufacturers and retailers of herbal medicinal products. How will herbal medicines be more effectively regulated in future years? How can the interactions between herbal and synthetic drugs be better understood? What practical standards for assessing evidence should be applied to herbal medicines? This will be an essential meeting for anyone whose professional work or livelihood is affected by the use of herbs.

Symposium language
The official symposium language will be English.

NOTE: This programme is still being developed.
Come back to this page for updates on speakers and topics.

Thursday 10th MAY

10.30 Registration - Exhibition - Coffee - Association

12.30 LUNCH

13.00 Welcome
Prof. Kemper, ESCOP Council Chairman

1) Regulation of herbal medicinal products

Recent changes in the regulatory landscape for herbal products in Europe have been unprecedented. It is widely accepted that there have been inconsistencies in the control of herbal products across Europe. Now there are a number of initiatives in place or under development to provide a more harmonised and consistent regime. How are these moves? What will they mean for the industry and professions and for the continued availability of herbal medicines? In a global trading environment, are they sufficient to protect the European public?

The current and future shape of the legislation for herbal medicinal products will be the subject of papers by representatives of the European Commission, The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA), the Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) from Bonn, and the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) from London, representatives of industry, as well as other regulators and experts from around the world. Topics will include

Current regulation of herbal medicinal products.

The “well-established use” Directive - its application to herbal medicinal products in Europe.

The “traditional use” Directive - where are we now?

The new regulatory landscape in Europe for herbal medicinal products.

Complying with the law - applying for marketing authorisations in a changing landscape.

North American and Australian experiences with regulating herbal products.

PLENARY DISCUSSION

18.00 RECEPTION

 
Friday 11th May

It has always been acknowledged that herbal medicines are complex products with complex activities. Many of the most active plant constituents may primarily be plant defences. The extent, both positive and negative, of the interactions between plant constituents, between plant and human defences (such as the cytochromes P450), and between plant and synthetic drugs, are becoming clearer. This is the new front line of phytopharmacology. Among the speakers and topics:

Xenobiotics - the impact on the body of secondary plant metabollites
Dr C. Ioannides, Molecular Toxicology Group, University of Surrey, Guildford

Hypericum interactions - an update
Speaker to be confirmed

Synergy: interactions within herbal medicines
Prof. E. M Williamson, School of Pharmacy, University of London

Adverse reports - some first principles
Prof. Desmond Corrigan, Trinity College, Dublin

 

PLENARY DISCUSSION

LUNCH

In an age of evidence-based medicine and growing constraints on public funding for healthcare, the quantification of efficacy by regulators, health insurers and other providers is increasing. “Levels of evidence” for the value of a medicine are now defined. How does this apply to the provision of herbal medicinal products? Can or should traditional reputations and practitioner experience be measured? What does this mean for clinical practice anyway? General arguments will be reviewed and individual case studies illustrated. Speakers and topics will include

How are levels of evidence applied to assessing claims for efficacy in Europe
Professor †berla, Munich

What is “traditional use” evidence
Dr Karin Kraft, Commission E, Bonn

Evidence for the clinician - a pragmatic framework for phytotherapy
Mr Simon Y. Mills, University of Exeter
Herbal case studies

PLENARY DISCUSSION

18.00 CLOSE

A limited number of rooms has been allocated at the following hotels. Early reservations are important and each hotel has a final deadline.

Holiday Inn, Berliner Freiheit 2, D-53111 Bonn
Tel: + 49 (0) 228 72 69 0 Fax: + 49 (0) 228 72 69 700
Single room: DM 228.00 Double room DM 257.00
Deadline: 20th February 2001

Hotel Consul, Oxfordstr. 10-16, D-53111 Bonn
Tel: + 49 (0) 228 7 29 20 Fax: + 49 (0) 228 7 29 22 50
Single room: DM 178.00 Double room DM 240.00
Deadline: 20th April 2001

Hotel Europa, Thomas-Mann-Str. 7, D-53111 Bonn
Tel: + 49 (0) 228 63 30 63 Fax: + 49 (0) 228 69 53 57
Single room: DM 110.00 Double room DM 150.00
Deadline: 9th April 2001

The fee of 300 euros (180 GBP) for the complete Symposium includes VAT, entrance fees, lunch on both days, coffee, tea and refreshments.

Cancellation charges: there will be a 25% charge for cancellations received after April 1st; after May 1st a 50% cancellation charge will apply.

Associated with the symposium will be a professional exhibition. To apply for a stand space please contact

COC Kongressorganisation GmbH
Mühlenstraße 58, 12249 Berlin

Tel: + 49 (0) 30 7 75 20 84 
Fax: + 49 (0) 30 7 75 20 85

There will also be a poster exhibition with abstracts published in the European Phytojournal and judged by an expert panel. To apply for an application form please contact the ESCOP Secretariat before 1st March 2001.

Enquiries to:

ESCOP Secretariat,
Argyle House,
Gandy Street,
Exeter EX4 3LS.

Tel: + 44 (0) 1392 424 626
Fax: + 44 (0) 1392 424 864

Email: secretariat@escop.com