Traditional Chinese medicine enters the spotlight as part of a new study on COVID-19 recovery.
SINGAPORE: A clinical trial has been approved to explore the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen in treating adults with mild COVID-19. The study, initiated by the Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution, received approval on January 18, according to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), which responded to inquiries from CNA on Tuesday (April 19).
The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the effects of Lianhua Qingwen Jiao Nang capsules, used alongside standard medical treatments, on the recovery time from COVID-19 symptoms in fully vaccinated adults undergoing home recovery in Singapore. A secondary aim is to determine the impact of the treatment on the duration until a negative antigen rapid test (ART) result is achieved.
Listed as principal investigators of the study are Dr. Ong Sze Tat from Ubi Family Clinic and Surgery, and Dr. Zuraimi Mohamed Dahlan from Banyan Clinic @ JW. The trial is set to involve a total of 300 participants aged 21 to 79, as indicated on the clinicaltrials.gov website, a global database for clinical studies maintained by the United States National Library of Medicine.
The study aims to assist policymakers in integrating clinically proven traditional Chinese medicine treatments for mild COVID-19 patients on home recovery and to establish guidelines for the application of TCM in pandemic management. Researchers hypothesize that TCM could potentially decrease the duration of eight key COVID-19 symptoms—such as fever, sore throat, and body aches—and shorten the time to a negative ART result for mild cases by up to 1.5 times.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is expected to conclude by December. Lianhua Qingwen is currently available at select retail outlets in Singapore.
In November of last year, the HSA addressed social media claims regarding Lianhua Qingwen’s effectiveness in preventing or treating COVID-19. While the agency noted that it had approved the product for alleviating cold and flu symptoms based on its ingredients, it stated that there was no scientific evidence to support the claims regarding its use for COVID-19 prevention or treatment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not endorsed Lianhua Qingwen, asserting that the claims related to coronavirus treatment lack competent and reliable scientific support. Conversely, China has approved the remedy—originally developed for SARS—as a treatment for COVID-19, and it has been included in government care packages distributed in Shanghai and Hong Kong during recent outbreaks.
