Mark Blumenthal

Mark Blumenthal is the Founder and Executive Director of the American Botanical Council (ABC); an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating accurate, reliable, and responsible information on herbs and medicinal plants. He is the Editor/Publisher of HerbalGram, an international, peer-reviewed quarterly journal, the contents of which reflect the educational goals of ABC. For six years he was an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, teaching a course on herbal products in today’s pharmacy. Mark has served as Co-Founder and former Vice-President of the Herb Research Foundation (HRF) and President of the Herb Trade Association, the former organization that represented the interest of the herb industry in the 1970’s. He was also a founding board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). He is the senior editor of the English translation of The Complete German Commission E Monographs-Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines, a rational system for evaluating the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. This publication was ranked second of the medical books published in 1998. Mark is the senior editor of The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs, a new reference work and continuing education module. Mark has appeared on over 500 radio and television shows and has written over 600 articles, reviews and book chapters for many major publications. In 2010 he was awarded the prestigious Tyler Prize in honor of the late Purdue Professor Varro E. Tyler from the American Society of Pharmacognosy. In 2008 he was awarded the “Natural Legacy” award from Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine and he has also been named to Natural Health Magazine’s Hall of Fame Award for “…opening America’s eye to the healing powers of herbs.” He has been a leader in the concerns for more rational regulations of herbal and natural product manufacturing, and education on plant-based medicines for over 36 years. Mark is a sought-after and frequent speaker and/or panelist at conferences, universities, and pharmaceutical, natural foods, botanical and agricultural associations. In addition, he has been a leader in the concerns for more rational regulations of herbal and natural product manufacturing, and education on alternative medicines.

