ABSTRACT
To date, botanical medicine companies in the United States conduct only limited research on botanical medicines; once a product is launched on the market, a company cannot claim exclusive rights and therefore cannot recoup its investment in R&D. In contrast, many European and Asian countries have traditions of linking government, academic and industrial research in botanical medicine that create strong foundations from which commercial product development grows. This system encourages a certain conservatism with regard to developing products from species new to the market, but provides a framework within which botanical medicines are approved in a timely and affordable manner, while ensuring safety
