BANGKOK, 16 October 2014 The National Innovation Agency (NIA) has launched its ShareHerb.com website as a channel of information on herbs and healthcare as well as alternative medicines.
NIA Deputy Director Supachai Lorlowhakarn said that Thai herbs are very popular in the beauty industry. Herbs are being used as cosmetics and weight-control products. However, the public still has only limited access to reliable research and information on herbs.
Therefore, the NIA, the network of academics, and Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have supported the ShareHerb Co.Ltd. with a budget of 1.4 million baht to develop the ShareHerb.com website.
The website contains academic information on Thai herbs and their correct usage as medicine or healthcare products. Users can search for herbal treatments suited to their symptoms. This will effectively upgrade the herb industry as a source of alternative medicine.
The ShareHerb.com is also an online community that suggests remedies and the correct way to use herbal products to ensure consumer safety. The website also has a feature that can track the ingredients of herbal products, giving consumers the information they need when deciding to use a herbal product.
The NIA expects to make the website into a source of scientific information on herbs to build consumer confidence on herbal products as an alternative medicine, conforming with the herbal industry development strategy, said NIA Deputy Director.
