In 2005, it seemed that another herbal remedy bit the dust, as media blared that a New England Journal of Medicine Study showed immunity effects of Echinacea to be clinically insignificant.  Now another meta-analysis of 14 studies shows that Echinacea shortens the duration of a cold and reduces  the chance of catching a cold by 58% when taken prior to or at the first hint of a cold.  The source of the confusion?  The first (NEJM) study compared apples to oranges, using only one part of the Echinacea plant in a very low dose.  High quality supplements like Nutrilite and Herb Pharm that use a blend of leaf, stem, and root at higher doses do work, according to the latest analysis.  In addition, the NEJM study tested only one of the more than 200 viruses that can cause a cold.