Taipei, April 22 (CNA) A traditional herbal formula developed in Taiwan, known as Taiwan Chingguan Yihau (NRICM101), can be considered to be an effective treatment for COVID-19 patients, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors said Friday.
Huang Yi-chia (黃怡嘉), a TCM doctor from Tri-Service General Hospital, said her hospital has prescribed NRICM101 to more than 200 COVID-19 patients since it obtained emergency use authorization in Taiwan in May 2020.
The patients -- aged between 3 and 100 -- showed significant improvement after 10 days of treatment, she said at a press conference.
The medicine has also helped hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 patients abroad with no side effects reported, she said, without presenting any specific data. It is being sold as a supplement overseas.
The National Union of Chinese Medical Doctors' Association said COVID-19 patients who are in home quarantine can obtain NRICM101 online for free.
All they need to do is to arrange a telemedicine appointment with a TCM doctor by downloading a health ministry-supported mobile application called "EUCARE," or contacting local branches of the association for assistance.
Once a patient has been given a prescription, they can have a designated contact or community pharmacist deliver the medicine to them, according to the association.
