Lawrence Tyler

In the following viewpoint, Lawrence Tyler asserts that herbal remedies can effectively treat illnesses provided that the dosage and quality of the herbs are standardized. He argues that the United States should follow Germany’s lead in the regulation of proven herbal medications such as ginkgo biloba and St. John’s wort. Tyler concludes that the U.S. government and the pharmaceutical industry need to coordinate an effort to properly study herbal medicine. Tyler is a professor of sociology at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and the author of Understanding Alternative Medicine: New Health Paths in America, from which this excerpt was taken.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Tyler, what is the “romantic perspective” of many herbalists?
2. What is the most frequently prescribed herbal medication in Germany, according...