China approves sale of traditional medicine products to treat COVID-19
China has approved the sale of three traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products for the treatment of the novel coronavirus, the country's National Medical Products Administration reportedly announced on Wednesday. The government agency used a special approval procedure for the three products, which it says "provide more options for COVID-19 treatment." Here are more details on this.
Products screened by academics and experts, claims agency
According to a report in CNN, the agency said in a statement that the products originate from "ancient Chinese prescriptions" and come in granular form. They were first developed from TCM remedies that had been used early in the coronavirus pandemic, and later subjected to screening "by many academics and experts on the front line," the statement added.
What are the three products that have been approved?
The three products that have been approved are - "lung-clearing and detoxing granules," "dampness-resolving and detoxing granules," and "lung-diffusing and detoxing granules," according to the statement.
TCM finds both critics and supporters in China
The said approval comes even as the safety and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine is still debated there. While they have been in use for hundreds of years, some experts and critics argue that there is insufficient verifiable scientific evidence to support their supposed benefits. However, President Xi Jinping, who is a TCM advocate, has often called for its use for medical treatment.
Thousands received herbal medicines for COVID-19 last year
It should be noted that thousands of COVID-19 patients in China received herbal remedies along with mainstream antiviral drugs last year, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology. In fact, in January this year, up to 60,000 doses of these medicines were sent to frontline police officers to protect them from the infection, the CNN report added.
China reports 89,952 coronavirus cases
China, where the COVID-19 pandemic originated in late 2019, has gotten the outbreak largely under control. Various restrictions have since been lifted, allowing people to travel across the country and gather without wearing face masks. According to Worldometers, China has reported 89,952 coronavirus cases and 4,636 deaths due to it. Globally, the disease infected over 11.62 crore and claimed the lives of 25.83 lakh.
