| Rod |
Just thought I would share this article from Pacific Islands (http://www.pacificislands.cc/pm22003/index.php).
REGION: Research says Kava is safe to drink
Monday: May 5, 2003
Suva (Pacnews/Daily Post) - The Germans have found that Kava, a ceremonial Pacific drink, is safe for consumption.
Germany-based pharmacists, Phytopharm Consulting, which was engaged by the Centre for Development Enterprise (CDE) to conduct a research on Kava, has presented a report on the European Union market restrictions on kava products.
In its scientific evaluations, the report said the efficacy and safety of kava in the treatment of conditions of nervous anxiety, stress and restlessness has over two thousand years of traditional use and is proved by 20 clinical trials including more than 10,000 patients and supported by post marketing experience in Europe, the United States of America and other countries by several expert commissions implemented by the German Health Ministry.
"The severe hepatotoxic effects of kava claimed by drug regulation authorities, cannot be regarded as proven”, the report said. “From 76 reported cases examined and evaluated, only four of them may possibly be related to the intake of kava”.
"All experts criticized the conclusions having been made by regulation authorities as the German BfArM (standard) on the basis of insufficient data provided by the relevant case reports,” it said. “Numerous experts and even health authorities as the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agree with our analysis and confirm kava as being a safe drug”.
"Therefore, the benefit-risk ration for kava evidently has to be regarded as positive and the withdrawal of market authorization of kava preparations as unjustified."
The report said current kava restrictions are an economic disaster for the producers for the producers and traders in the South Pacific Islands, particularly those situated in Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The objective of the project was to provide sound scientific knowledge information to evaluate all available cases and scientific information on kava, the restrictive measure taken against kava by health authorities, and the resulting economic consequences for the negatively affected South Pacific Islands.
"Based on this extensive analysis we developed a possible future strategy to restore kava's reputation as a safe and effective prescription," the report said. - Pacnews/Daily Post
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| yee |
Aloha Rod,
I am, and I'm sure many others are, very appreciative you've found this article. Eventually, it'll very interesting to have a compilation of the news 50 years from now and to look back at the kava controversy once more - how the media, industry, and perhaps consumers viewed it back in the early 21 century... A trail perhaps on the effectiveness of the dissemination of knowledge. I will bookmark that page. [:)]
Mahalo,
Jonathan |