A report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and immunology 2002 has raised the possibility that Echinacea can cause allergic reactions. Echinacea is a member of the daisy family and those with allergies to this family may react to Echinacea, but there’s nothing new or sensational about this. So why has this report been portrayed in such a sensationalist manner? (‘Alternative Medicines could be bad for you’, Ireland on Sunday, 30.June) Closer inspection of its content shows that it contains several serious flaws that the media have failed to point out, there is no mention – what species of Echinacea, what form, how standardised, was the trial blinded, placebo controlled, did they consider the skin-prick format itself as a factor in reactions, etc., etc.?
All in all, this is another representation of very weak ‘science’ getting sensationalist reporting.