Various sources in the UK report that medicines containing Kava-kava, an extract from a member of the pepper family, are to be banned after after reports of and investigation into adverse events and death associated with its use.

Licensed kava products in Europe were voluntarily removed by manufacturers, and after a year's worth of analysis of data and medical results, the UK's Committee on Safety of Medicines has determined that banning the herb is the next step, since the body concluded that the risk could not be reduced by other measures.

The order is expected to be in force in mid-January.