Sour economy pushing people to buy herbal meds

Published: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 12:45 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
CHICAGO — The choice between $75 prescription sleeping pills or a $5 herbal alternative is a no-brainer for Cathy and Bernard Birleffi, whose insurance costs have skyrocketed along with the nation's financial woes.

The Calistoga, Calif., couple seem to reflect a trend. With many Americans putting off routine doctor visits and self-medicating to save money, use of alternative treatments is on the rise — even though evidence is often lacking on their safety and effectiveness.

Climbing sales of herbal medicines have paralleled the tanking economy, according to an Associated Press review of recent data from market-watchers and retailers.

One prominent example: Whole Foods Market Inc. says its stores nationwide have seen an increase in sales of nutritional supplements and herbal products in the past several weeks. That's "noteworthy" given the retail industry's financial slump, said Whole Foods spokesman Jeremiah C. McElwee.

While winter is usually a busy time for herbal medicine sales because it's the season for colds and flu, "more people are value shopping" now because of the economy, McElwee said.

Cathy Birleffi says she's among them.

Story continues below
"The doctors are so much higher (in cost), the insurance isn't paying as much," Birleffi said.. Her husband, a retired dispatcher, has high blood pressure and seizures. Recent changes in their health coverage resulted in $1,300 in monthly premiums, double what they used to be.

Until they tried herbal alternatives, including valerian for insomnia, "every time I turned around, it was $50 here, $75 there" for prescriptions, Birleffi said.

High costs of conventional health care and worries about the economy also led Kristen Kemp, 34, of Montclair, N.J., to alternatives.

Prescriptions are $20 each under the family's insurance plan so Kemp said she's been giving her kids tea with honey for sore throats and various Chinese herbs for colds and stomachaches.

Among data reflecting the trend:

• For the three months that ended Dec. 28, nationwide retail sales of vitamins and supplements totaled nearly $639 million, up almost 10 percent from the same period in 2007. That includes a nearly 6 percent increase in sales of herbal supplements alone, according to Information Resources Inc., a Chicago-based market research firm. Its numbers do not include Wal-Mart or club stores.

Recent comments

Inflated drug costs, the need to pay a doctor to actually get a...

Debbie | Jan. 15, 2009 at 10:31 a.m.

How many people die each year from use of "regulated" drugs?...

Skeptic | Jan. 14, 2009 at 4:22 p.m.

Western Medicine, Eastern Medicine. US MD's, US Naturopaths. The US...

Anonymous | Jan. 14, 2009 at 2:45 p.m.

Related content
previousnext

Latest comments

Broncos make Aggies pay

These message boards are for trading insults.....so if you don't want to be...

Boys basketball rankings

Did JD Books change his name to Porkins? Easy there fella

BYU has slim shot at BCS

RE: BYU accounting grad. Most employers could give a hoot about your...

Best of luck to this young man. I do hope they get him out soon!

SUU falls to Tennessee Tech

This team plays with very little heart at times. They had better step it up...

Bill Clinton was the unknown man on the grassy knoll.

Utahn is starving herself for Kenya

Like in all honesty her starving herself is going to get govt officials in a...

Where do I need to go to sign this petition. It is long overdue.

I understand her desire to spread the word and make a difference, but I...

Preps of the week

Reading is fundamental. Selected by ESPN as top player in state and signed...

Advertisements