Director "invents" cancer cure from bamboo charcoal

Thuy Linh DNUM_BFZAEZCABI 10:50

Vinaca cancer medicine "invented" from bamboo charcoal is circulating on the market but has not been quality tested by any health agency.

In early 2018, when raiding the production "factory" of Dao Thi Chuc (25 years old, in Kien An, Hai Phong), the police discovered and seized thousands of pharmaceutical products of Vinaca company.

Of these, 5 types of products are being produced at this facility, including 154 boxes of Vinaca cancer CO3.2; 633 bottles of Vinaca Vi5 odor remover (300 to 900 ml); 100 bottles of Vinaca baby Vi6... All products and input materials have unknown origins.

Responding to the authorities, Chuc said that the drug production was under the direction and arrangement of her husband, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thu (37 years old), Director of Vinaca Company (headquartered at 17/40 Cu Loc Street, Thuong Dinh Ward, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi).

However, police verified that Vinaca company did not issue invoices and had never declared taxes.

Ms. Chuc was working with the police when the police raided and caught the facility red-handed completing the production of Vinaca cancer drug CO3.2. Photo:Tung Chi.

According to Ms. Chuc’s admission, the main raw material for producing Vinaca cancer products CO3.2, Vinaca baby Vi6… is bamboo charcoal powder. Chuc imported this source from Nguyen Van Tuan (33 years old, Director of Hong An Phong Company, address in Hong Lau village, Hong Phong commune, An Duong, Hai Phong).

Director Tuan is also the person who “lent” Vinaca company legal documents. Hong An Phong company also directly completed legal procedures at the Hai Phong Department of Health to apply for circulation of Vinaca products on the market.

Self-research and manufacture of cancer drugs

Dao Thi Chuc confessed to the police that her husband, Thu, had studied medicine. The entire formula for making cancer medicine was researched and invented by Thu herself. For Thu Chuc and her husband, this is considered a "secret technology" that the couple often touts on occasions to attract customers to use Vinaca products.

Close-up of pills being counted at Vinaca's factory. Photo:Tung Chi.

Chuc said that on average, he received 10 bags of ash from Tuan each month, each bag weighing 30 kg. In 2016-2017, Chuc paid Tuan 200 million VND for making bamboo charcoal powder alone.

“I don’t know what ingredients are in the capsule. I only know that the capsule is used to support the treatment of cancer and some other diseases. It will not affect the health of healthy people,” Chuc said.

Hai Phong Department of Health does not clearly distinguish between cosmetics and drugs in licensing.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Son - Deputy Director of Hai Phong Department of Health, admitted that this agency had received the product declaration of Hong An Phong Company. After one year, Hai Phong Department of Health has not once carried out post-inspection at this business registration place.

Vinaca products are available on the market with the permission of the Hai Phong Department of Health. Photo:Tung Chi.

Mr. Son informed that as soon as Hong An Phong Company submitted its application for product declaration, the phrase “Vinaca ung ngu CO3.2” appeared in the product name section. The Department requested the company to change the name, because it found the phrase ung ngu is “sensitive”.

“But they brought up the law and said that all those words did not violate the circular issued by the Ministry of Health. They used cosmetics in the case of body cleansing and related issues,” Mr. Son said.

In fact, the product Vinaca cancer CO3.2 has been circulating on the market without being controlled by any medical professional agency. Many people have been mistaken and trusted this product in treating cancer.

Thuy Linh