Originally posted in The Straits Times – Clinical trial under way in S’pore on use of Lianhua Qingwen TCM pills for Covid-19 treatment
Clinical trial underway in S’pore on use of Lianhua Qingwen TCM pills for Covid-19 treatment
A clinical experiment is underway to examine if Lianhua Qingwen Jiao Nang capsules, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), will help cure certain Covid-19 symptoms.
The goal of the trial, according to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), is to see how the tablets affect the time it takes for fully vaccinated persons on home recovery with mild Covid-19 to recover from their symptoms when provided in conjunction to existing routine medical therapy.
The experiment will also look at how the drug affects the time it takes to get a negative antigen rapid test (ART) result.
The Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution launched the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which was authorized by the HSA on January 18.
Dr. Zuraimi Mohamed Dahlan of Banyan Clinic @ JW and Dr. Ong Sze Tat of Ubi Family Clinic and Surgery are the study’s lead investigators.
Dr. Zuraimi told The Straits Times on Wednesday that the tablets were helpful in alleviating the symptoms of Covid-19 patients in a research conducted in China.
However, to scientifically confirm this, a true double-blind, random-controlled experiment is necessary, which is why the study was started.
He went on to say that the researchers will require at least 300 individuals, ranging in age from 21 to 79, who have recently tested positive for coronavirus.
The TCM tablets will be given to half of the patients and the placebo to the other half. The tablets must be taken three times a day for seven days in both groups.
Researchers will contact patients every day to inquire about their ART status, pulse oximetry, and general well-being.
Dr. Zuraimi stated that the experiment should be completed in six months.
The study’s scientists have hypothesized that TCM intervention might treat eight important diseases, according to a description of the experiment on clinicaltrials.gov, a website managed by the US National Library of Medicine. Clinical symptoms associated with Covid-19 are expected to vanish.
The study’s investigators hypothesized that TCM intervention could help eight major Covid-19 clinical symptoms disappear 112 times faster in patients with mild Covid-19 who are on home recovery, according to a description of the trial on clinicaltrials.gov, a website run by the United States’ National Library of Medicine.
“Validating TCM intervention (Lianhua Qingwen) as a good adjuvant treatment for local people on home recovery program is critical,” according to the description, “because to restricted availability and priority of licensed anti-viral medications (Paxlovid) to moderate and severe inpatients.”
“(The research) is aimed to assist policymakers in incorporating clinically proven TCM treatment for mild Covid-19 patients on home recovery programs, and establishing a guideline on TCM pandemic treatment protocol that is suitable for integration into the healthcare system,” the statement continued.
Call Ubi Family Clinic & Surgery at 6749-7922 or Banyan Clinic @ JW at 6899-1161 if you want to take part in the experiment.
Clinics interested in participating in the study’s patient recruitment can call the Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution at 8028-0096.
Last November, the HSA issued a warning about claims that Lianhua Qingwen products could be used to prevent or cure Covid-19 that were circulating on social media and in Telegram chat groups.
“To date, no scientific evidence from randomised clinical studies shows that any herbal medication, including Lianhua Qingwen products, can be utilized to prevent or cure Covid-19,” the HSA declared at the time.
It went on to say: “Any product that purports to treat Covid-19 must have scientific proof from controlled clinical trials to prove that it is safe and effective against Covid-19, according to the HSA. Before a product may be sold locally, it must first be submitted to HSA for review of the scientific evidence and registration.”
Find out below how you may purchase Lianhua Qingwen capsules from an authentic TCM seller in Singapore.
Lianhua Qingwen 24 Capsules