Herbal remedies or conventional medicines - Which is the safer bet?

284 adverse incidents for herbal medicines were reported compared with 26,129 for pharmaceuticals

Two people in San Francisco ended up in intensive care after taking a herbal remedy, it was reported last week. The incident is likely to raise questions about the safety of herbal medicines. But are they any more dangerous than the drugs dispensed by your doctor or those sold over the counter without a prescription?

It is a common belief that herbal medicines are safe and research suggests that they are used by at least a third of people in some countries, such as the UK.

To better understand the relative risks involved, it is helpful