Britain's medicine safety administration may be following in Germany's footsteps regarding future regulation of the herbal supplement kava kava. Yesterday, Britain's Medicines Control Agency (MCA) proposed banning the supply of kava kava due to numerous reports of hepatic damage among users. Last month, Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices announced that it had revoked the licenses of all medications sold in the country that contain kava kava, citing the supplement's link to dozens of cases of liver toxicity, six involving liver transplants.

As part of the announcement, Britain's Committee on Safety of Medicines advised kava kava users to stop taking the supplement. The MCA plans to consult with physicians and other researchers until the end of September regarding the safety of kava kava.