Herbal treatment for SARS - yeah right

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  1. #1

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    Angry Herbal treatment for SARS - yeah right

    Anti-SARS herbal formula is set to hit stores next month according to the HK Standard. The best bit is at the end of the article. “Leung stressed that the medicine was only an extra option in the fight against viral pneumonia, adding it was not a form of treatment for the disease. ``If a person has symptoms like persistent fever and coughing, he or she should seek medical help immediately,''”

    So, if you do not get SARS they can say it is because of the herbal medicine and if you do get SARS, well you were probably not taking enough and the herbal medicine is not an effective treatment anyway so you should seek real medical treatment. What a load of rubbish. Just another bunch of quacks cashing in on the SARS scare to line their pockets.

    When will people learn that there is NO SUCH THING as alternative medicine as by definition anything that actually works is adopted by the worldwide medical community and becomes "medicine". This has been true throughout the history of mankind, most modern medicines and treatments come from natural sources but have been tested and refined over the centuries eliminating the ones that do not work or are dangerous and refining the ones that do work. Alternative medicine is just another name for something that is untestable and unaccountable. Still, Darwin's theory usually holds true in the end.

    From the Standard - Michael Ng

    A Chinese herbal formula, that is said to be effective in preventing viral pneumonia, will be made available to the public early next month.

    About 42,000 sachets of the anti-viral formula, known as TCM, were distributed free to frontline healthcare workers last Thursday, and the Chinese University's Institute of Chinese Medicine said the response had been enthusiastic.

    Chairman of the institute's management committee, Leung Ping-chung, said the Hospital Authority had called on the institute earlier this month to supply a preventive option for frontline hospital workers using Chinese medicine.

    Working together with a Singapore-listed Chinese medical company, the institute developed a medication that combines two renowned Chinese herbal formulas, plus the addition of other herbs with known anti-viral effects. ``So far, more than 700 healthcare workers have obtained the sachets and we have not received any negative report about side effects,'' he said.

    The Singapore company, Eu Yan Sang, had contacted the institute last week and promised to step up production of the medication, Leung said.

    The first delivery of 50,000 packs is expected to be available within two weeks. ``Some of these will be provided free of charge to charity groups, homes for the elderly and medical workers. The rest will be available at our outlets,'' Eu Yan Sang managing director for Hong Kong, Alice Wong, said.

    She said the company would tailor its production according to the community's needs.

    Leung explained that the herbal medicine had to be taken over a period of 14 days to be effective. Users are required to mix the granules from one sachet with water and consume the mixture once a day. ``Pregnant woman should not take the medication, while children should take only a half portion,'' he said. ``Those who feel stomach pains should suspend consuming the medication for a day.''

    Leung stressed that the medicine was only an extra option in the fight against viral pneumonia, adding it was not a form of treatment for the disease. ``If a person has symptoms like persistent fever and coughing, he or she should seek medical help immediately,'' he said.

    So, if you do not get SARS it is because of the herbal medicine and if you do get SARS you should seek real medical treatment.


  2. #2

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    Agree, I have a lot of time for herbal medicine that has been tested and proved effective. There are many examples that are routinely used in medicine, it is the scientific studies that are almost totally lacking in TCM that bothers me. The whole us vrs them (the West) attitude and these mixtures of 10/20 more various herbs and dried parts of animals, often chosen on the basis of sympathetic magic. ie rhino horns must help male potency because of the shape/virility of the rhino. There is a lot of research going on but still most of what I read is based on old traditions and not on empirical reason. Old superstitions die hard I guess.

    The placebo effect is very powerful and is only now being fully understood and appreciated such as in the use of antidepressants (found that the placebo effect was more powerful than actually taking the pills) and so TCM can have a profound effect if the taker believes in the efficiency of the medicine.

    I saw that add re the oil. Luckily there wasn't a run on olive oil as there was on vinegar when SARS first broke out in China. We needed to buy some for cooking (my wife is a Filipino and so uses vinegar a lot) and couldn’t fine any in any of the supermarkets around Shatin/Fo Tan. Everyone was boiling it at home to try to ward off the sickness. Smelled like a fish and chip shop