I abhor any practice that involves the use of animal parts. The use of animals in herbal medicine is banned in the UK and EU and so does not form part of my Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions. Iā€™m greatly concerned about the threat to wild animals and plants that have come as a result of the growth in demand for traditional medicines, and strongly condemn the illegal trade in endangered species. I use information supplied by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Wildlife Liaison Office of the Metropolitan Police, and the Department of the Environment, all of whom work to stop the trade in illegal substances wherever it is found.