The rapidly developing field of natural medicines and products was in the spotlight at the recent Natural Products Futures Forum, hosted by Southern Cross University's National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM).
It's the third time the University has hosted the forum, with an increasing number of academics, naturopaths, regulators and commercial players attending.
Among the hot topics on the agenda this year was the role of clinical trials, and how scientific evidence can support traditional knowledge in the development of natural products for commercialisation.
Keynote speaker Stephen Daniells PhD, chemist and Editor-in-Chief of major trade publication NutraIngredients, said he was struck by the growth in the Australian industry.
"Clinical data is essential to a successful product launch in the US or the UK. I think with the rapid evolution of the Australian market, the importance of clinical data here is becoming more and more evident as well," he said.
Clinical Research Fellow and lead of clinical trials at the NCNM, Dr Janet Schloss said there had been a noticeable rise in industry requests for clinical testing of natural products.
"We are getting a lot of interest particularly from smaller start-ups, who are looking for that evidence to substantiate their claims. University-run clinical trials give a credibility to the testing process that I think is universally acknowledged.
"We've seen this with medicinal cannabis and with other products used to supplement conventional treatments for brain cancer and Parkinson's disease, or even for recurrent conditions like dizziness or urinary tract infections.
"Consumers want to know what they are taking is safe, and has been tested adequately."
Dr Ikhlas Khan, Director of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi shared his experience of clinical safety testing in the United States.
"The key issues for botanical ingredients remain safety, quality and efficacy. The science is fundamental to building a quality sustainable products sector and as universities we have an important role to play in that," he said.
All medicines sold in Australia, including vitamins and supplements, must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) as either registered or listed. There are three classifications – AUST L, AUST L(A) or AUST R – and it is the first category that is coming under increased scrutiny, said Dr Schloss.
"Any claims an AUST L(A) product makes must be assessed clinically, but there is a large category of AUST L products that can have significant effects on a person, particularly when taken in quantities and over time, but they are considered low-risk and not subject to the same stringent testing as the other classifications.
"We are seeing some products employing workarounds in the naming. It might be an AUST L supplement for example that suggests a clinical benefit in the name of the product. This is also a largely un-, or under-assessed category of products."
The classification dilemma becomes even more evident in foods with medicinal properties, particularly those used traditionally by Indigenous communities in Australia.
"Gumbi Gumbi (Pittosporum Angustifolium) for example is a medicinal plant commonly sold as tea, and a good example of where the crossover between a food and a medicine needs more careful consideration," said Indigenous academic and natural medicine expert at the NMSC Dr Alana Gall. Dr Gall is leading a body of work to bridge the gap between commercial product development and the use of Indigenous knowledge.
"For Indigenous people in Australia, Gumbi Gumbi is both a food and a medicine. It is currently being regulated and sold as a food but is not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for use as a medicine.
"We not only need better protection of Indigenous knowledge in Australia but we also need better guidelines around where a food ends and a medicine begins so we have appropriate controls in place for their use."
Dr Gall says that many Indigenous knowledge holders are fearful of sharing their knowledge of traditional medicines and food, given the exploitation of these knowledges for commercial gain, with little to no acknowledgement or benefit going to Indigenous communities.
"It's been termed biopiracy because Indigenous knowledge is being stolen or misused and this knowledge saves R&D corporations millions, but there is no profit or benefit-sharing with the communities who have made that knowledge available," she said.
John O'Doherty, CEO of Complementary Medicines Australia , presented the results of a recent industry audit at the Forum showing the Australian complementary medicines sector reached annual revenue of about AUD 6.2 billion in 2024, with an export sector of around AUD 1.2 billion, built on a reputation for safety and quality.
National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
The National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) was established thanks to a generous philanthropic gift from the Blackmore Family Foundation.
Since launching in 2020, the NCNM has developed six accredited degrees, taught 280 undergraduate and postgraduate students, and has mentored 18 Higher Degrees by Research students.
The NCNM has also developed one of the largest clinical trial units in regional Australia, which investigates the use of natural medicines and integrative healthcare. These have included a world-first trial into the use of medicinal cannabis for treating brain cancer and the use of natural medicines in the treatment of vertigo, urinary tract infections and diabetes among other conditions.
