In the wake of recent warnings concerning the safety of alternative supplements such as Kava Kava and Ephedra, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced it will establish a traditional and alternative drug reaction monitoring system within four years. A spokesperson for the WHO said the global system, which will not be completed until at least 2005, will monitor the medicines worldwide for recurrent harmful side effects.

Medical officials have questioned the reliability of alternative medications and supplements in recent months after Kava Kava and Ephedra were both linked to fatal health problems. The announcement comes just as the Chinese health industry plans to massively distribute alternative medications in an effort to challenge the world's leading drug manufacturers.