Covid-19 and herbal practice: A UK practitioner survey

Objectives: To identify the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on UK herbal medicine practice and how herbal medicine practitioners are supporting people with Covid-19. Design: Mixed method e-survey. Methods: The survey link was distributed through professional associations and social media. Quantitative data were descriptively summarised and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results: Results from 59 responses indicated a profound effect of the pandemic on herbal medicine practice, with a move to remote working and a reduction in client numbers. Practitioners reported prescribing a wide range of medicinal plants, chiefly Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Echinacea spp. alongside providing information and advice. Few reported inter-professional collaboration. Conclusions: Herbal practitioners need to build on current collaborations, research and experience to develop consistent approaches to support people with mild-moderate Covid-19 symptoms. More systematic exploration of herbal medicine practice during and as a consequence of the pandemic is needed.