Herbal products were included in specific Portuguese legislation in 1993 on health products which comprise e.g., cosmetics, medicinal plants, dietetic products with therapeutic use, and homoeopathic preparations. They are controlled by the Instituto Nacional da Farmácia e do Medicamento (INFARMED), an authority responsible to the Ministry of Health. A special division of this Institute is entitled to draw up rules for marketing, quality and safety of this group of products [86].

According to the drug law, phytomedicines are subject to the same registration requirements as chemically based medicines [87]. Specific rules on herbal medicines, however, are not part of the Portuguese drug law. The implementation of legislation concerning classification and sale of herbal medicines is urgently required [88].