President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday commended traditional Chinese medicine doctors who took part in the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine-led development of the herbal formula NRICM101, which is used to treat COVID-19.
Tsai told a meeting with representatives of the National Union of Chinese Medical Doctors Association at the Presidential Office that the practitioners should be recognized for their contributions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
A study published in the Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy journal in January showed that the treatment was efficient against the virus.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
NRICM101 shows that combining traditional Chinese medicine with scientific methods can lead to new therapeutic possibilities, she said.
The formula’s manufacturers have been awarded licenses to export the drug, which would help the global effort to treat COVID-19 patients, she said, adding that an improved formula is being tested in clinical trials.
Tsai thanked union secretary-general Ko Fu-yang (柯富揚), saying that he has played an important role in guiding and organizing the effort.
The government has over the past few years sought to expand medical services that utilize traditional Chinese medicine, she said.
These efforts include pilot programs that extend National Health Insurance coverage to traditional Chinese medicine treatments for cancer and other acute conditions, as well as its use in home-based care, she said.
The government would continue to work with traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and researchers to develop the field and combat the pandemic, she said.
“Only when working together will the country be able to go forward and surmount the many challenges ahead,” she said.
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