Tshabalala-Msimang says no to clinical trials of traditional medicines

In an astonishing statement, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has said that the traditional medicines used by African healers should not be subjected to "Western-style" clinical trials. "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".

This statement came in a speech to a working group set up by President Thabo Mbeki to regulate traditional healers. The task team is trying to come up with legal guidelines on traditional African medicines. It is expected to present these to the Cabinet early in March.

She also warned against "charlatans tarnishing the image of this sector (traditional African medicine)" and "who promise our desperate help-seeking people all sorts of things that are not practically possible to deliver".

A little difficult if these "cures" are not going to be subjected to objective clinical trials.