The involvement of consumers in the use of herbal medicines and herbal products in health care, and their concern regarding possible adverse effects should be valued positively. Consumer reports on adverse reactions should be accepted as a serious source of information, which can contribute to the identification of signals for unknown effects of herbal medicines.
For non-prescription medicines, often taken without health professional involvement, reports received directly from consumers may provide the only source of signals. With herbal medicines in the non-prescription medicines setting, there is clearly an essential role for consumer reporting.