Medical & Clinical Research

Author(s): Ping-Chung LEUNG

Nutraceuticals could be food or health supplements with vaguely described functional value. Inspite of the obvious uncertain health benefits, consumers maintain a blind trust. With the rising concern of healthy aging because of the explosion of the elderly population, health supplements have become ever popular. In Asia, Traditional Herbal Medicine is commonly used in nutraceuticals and China must be one of the greatest producers. Since 2015, the China FDA has issued a series of recommendations for the production of nutraceuticals which have been granted a new unique description of “Food Supplements with specific clinical use”, and instructions on their production and evaluation are subsequently given. Clinical trials with the evidence-based principles are definite requirements. Evidence-based production of nutraceuticals with specific clinical indications would follow the standard procedures of quality control; biological and pharmacological evaluation; followed by the provision of clinical evidences. Hong Kong has been following such directions of developing health supplements. Brief descriptions will be given followed with the example of a cardiovascular tonic. With such clear change of policy on the production of health supplements which is also in line with the recommendations of the European Union, one could expect a continuous supply of efficacious nutraceuticals which could be registered for marketing as proprietary drug or health supplements.