The HMPC prepares the Agency's opinions on herbal substances and preparations, along with information on recommended uses and safe conditions.
This work supports the harmonisation of the European market: national competent authorities are able to refer to one unique set of information on a herbal substance or preparation when evaluating marketing applications for herbal medicines.
To support EU Member States, the HMPC focuses on two main tasks:
The HMPC and its working parties and other groups also:
The Committee was established in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 and the Herbal Directive, which introduced a simplified registration procedure for traditional herbal medicinal products in EU Member States. The HMPC is composed of scientific experts in the field of herbal medicines. The HMPC replaced the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products' Working Party on Herbal Medicinal Products in September 2004. For full details, see the HMPC rules of procedure and work plan.
The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) meets once every two months. EMA publishes the agendas, minutes and meeting reports of its plenary meetings. The HMPC meeting reports summarise the main outcomes of its meetings. EMA has been publishing the agendas and minutes of the HMPC plenaries since its September 2013 meeting. Before this, EMA only published meeting reports for the HMPC.
Before start of Committee plenary. EMA has been publishing agendas for the HMPC since its September 2013 meeting.
After Committee plenary where minutes are adopted. EMA has been publishing minutes for the HMPC since its September 2013 meeting.
After Committee plenary.