By Paul Reoch

THE SISTER of an Invergowrie man yesterday told Perth Sheriff Court she wants more regulations on herbal rem- edies following her brother’s death.

Elaine Ferrie (59), of Boniface Gardens, was giving evidence at the fatal accident inquiry of Norman Ferrie (64), of Greystane Road, Invergowrie, who died at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI) on July 3, 2004.

He had been taking the herbal remedy glucosamine and chondroitine as he had arthritis in his knees and was admitted to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital on June 30, 2004 after he had been sick and became jaundiced.

Mr Ferrie—a former engineer who had four daughters—was found to be suffering from acute hepatitis and was transferred to ERI on July 2, 2004 in order to receive a liver transplant.

However, he died the following day.

Miss Ferrie told the court that she was pleased the yellow card system for reporting adverse reactions now allowed the public to report concerns but she said it hasn’t been given enough publicity.

“These herbal remedies and vitamins are seen by the public as medicines,” she said.

“And as this is their understanding they expect them to be manufactured safely and as rigorously tested and regulated as prescription medicine.

“This was certainly my understanding until my brother’s death.

“Complementary medicine is a huge business in the UK and as more and more people turn to them for relief from their disability more people may be at risk,” Miss Ferrie added.

“Information regarding possible side-effects should be included with each product sold as it is with prescription medicines.

“If these recommendations are put in place the public will then have the information to enable them to make an informed choice before they purchase over-the-counter remedies or vitamins—information which was unfortunately unavailable to my brother.”

The inquiry had earlier heard from Michael Foye, a group manager with the Medical Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) based in London.

He told procurator fiscal Helen Nisbet that his department looked at the adverse reactions of drugs.

He described how the yellow card system electronically flagged up seven warning reports between warfarin and glucosamine.

“Patients on warfarin were recommended not to take glucosamine,” Mr Foye said.

“I would encourage the public to make their doctor aware of any remedies they are taking so that it is included in their medical history.”

Mr Foye told the solicitor for Goldshield Pharmaceutical Ltd Robert Leith that there were 2189 reports relating to hepatic (liver) complaints in relation to people taking aspirin, with 290 fatalities; 308 hepatic reports for those taking paracetamol, with 33 fatalities; and 106 for those taking ibuprofen, with three fatalities.

The inquiry also heard from David Carter, a manager of the medicine borderline team with MHRA.

He told the court herbal remedies were not classed as medicines and they were regulated from 2004.

“When we first saw glucosamine we determined it was not a medicine,” he said, “but there is now a medicine that contains glucosamine that through EU regulations has acquired a licence.”

The inquiry had previously heard from Dr John Dillon, a consultant gastroenterologist at Ninewells, who treated Mr Ferrie in June 2004.

He had told the court he could not be “100% certain” that the herbal remedy had caused Mr Ferrie’s liver failure but he “suspected” it had.

This “suspicion” was highlighted by two other cases in Tayside around that time when people took ill after taking glucosamine and chondroitine.

However, Mr Leith called this a “tentative” link and said Mr Ferrie could have died either from a viral infection or natural causes.

He said, “There is not sufficient evidence to satisfy the court that glucosamine caused or was associated with the death of Mr Ferrie. It is clear he died from liver failure.”

The written findings of Sheriff Michael Fletcher will be issued at a later date.