30
The Health | june-july, 2020
| Issue |
TCM, an alternative
treatment
Beijing has approved three traditional Chinese
patent drugs to treat Covid-19 patients
That means these
three drugs have
passed strict reviews
by the administration
and used commonly
and widely in China.
Their effects are
exact and backed
with ample evidence.
So people may have a
new choice if there’s
a similar epidemic in
the future.” – Zhang
Boli
By Camilia Rezali
Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) had
been used for more than
2,000 years in China.
The tradition-based
treatment is now
being applied as an
alternative treatment
for Covid-19.
Nikkei Asian Review reported the
treatment was given to 74,187 patients
(as of May 8), which was 91 per cent of
the country’s total confirmed cases.
China Global Television Network
(CGTN) stated China added three
patented items of TCMfor the
treatment of Covid-19. The drugs,
specifically JinhuaQinggan
granules,LianhuaQingwen
capsulesand Xuebijing injections,
which underwent clinical trials
with the National Medical Products
Administration, are now listed as
Covid-19 medications.
Beijing issued the first policy paper
on the products in 2016, underlining
their “unique value” in prevention
and treatment of illnesses such as
severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS), HIV/AIDS and hand-foot-andmouth
(HFM) disease.
President Xi Jinping of China
agreed to the interest in revitalising
Liu Qingquan, president of Beijing
Hospital of TCM.
and developing the TCM industry.
This year, China aims to provide
every citizen access to essential TCM
services and achieving full adoption
in all areas of medical care by 2030.
Tianjin Hospital of TCM president
Zhang Boli said: “That means these
Zhang Boli, president of Tianjin Hospital
of TCM.
three drugs have passed strict
reviews by the administration and
used commonly and widely in China.
Their effects are exact and backed
with ample evidence. So people may
have a new choice if there’s a similar
epidemic in the future.”
Zhang sees the Covid-19 crisis as an
opportunity to uncover the potential
of useful drugs.
Nevertheless, these over-thecounter
drugs have proven effective
in easing Covid-19 symptoms such as
fever and inflammation, said China’s
National TCM Administration.
“Over the past two months, medical
workers have risked their lives to
reach the conclusions step by step.
The process to get the evidence during
the clinical studies was difficult
yet scientific,” said Liu Qingquan,
president of Beijing Hospital of TCM.
The moment Beijing placed
recognition on TCM, Zhang hoped the
treatment might no longer have to
face a test of international acceptance.
Medical workers overseas may be
more confident in applying the
Chinese art of healing.
Thailand has given the green light
to LinahuaQingwen into its market,
shared the president of Tianjin
Hospital of TCM. Nikkei Asian Review
also mentioned China’s National
Health Commission experts battling
the pandemic reported a finding that
LianhuaQingwen capsules could
inhibit Coronavirus replication in
cells and thus reduce infection.
France, on the other hand, is all
set to conduct clinical studies on
traditional medicine. — The Health