DOH: No Recommendation To Use Chinese Drug Lianhua Qingwen For COVID Treatment
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Lianhua Qingwen is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a “supplement” for cough and colds.
The Department of Health (DOH) said a panel of experts did not recommend the Chinese drug Lianhua Qingwen to be included in the treatment protocols for COVID-19 patients.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Lianhua is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a “supplement” for cough and colds.
She told “The Chiefs” on One News on Monday night, Jan. 24, that experts from the Living CPG (Clinical Practice Guidelines) did not recommend the Chinese medicine as an anti-COVID drug.
Vergeire said that since Lianhua is registered with the FDA, “we can guarantee that it’s going to be safe” when used accordingly.
“It is going to be effective against what you say it can do. Lianhua supplement is said to be used for symptoms such as cough and colds in the country where it came from,” she added.
Based on indications on Lianhua packaging, it is a herbal product that “helps remove heat-toxin invasion of the lungs, including symptoms such as fever, aversion to cold, muscle soreness, stuffy and runny nose.”
Based on post-marketing and monitoring data, the product may cause gastro-intestinal adverse reactions such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dry mouth, rashes, itching and dizziness.
Lianhua has “interactions with Monoamine Oxidase inhibitor drugs.”
The packaging also advises users to consult a doctor prior to taking the medicine if individuals have a heart or thyroid disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, hypertension, tumor of adrenal gland, difficulty in urination due to the enlargement of prostate gland or if you are taking any prescription drugs.
It also stated that the product should not be given to children, pregnant and lactating individuals and should not be used if a person has wind-cold common cold.
