The proliferation of unregulated traditional Chinese medicine poses a threat to people's health.
Currently, in many rural markets in Nghe An province, the widespread sale of various herbal remedies, traditional Vietnamese and Chinese medicines, packaged in small plastic bags and advertised as "curing all diseases," is quite common. However, few people realize that behind these folk remedies lies a potential health risk, as their origin, ingredients, and effectiveness have not been verified.
Traditional Chinese medicine and herbal remedies of unknown origin are being widely sold.
Visiting Dinh Market in Yen Thanh commune, one can easily spot dozens of vendors selling all kinds of traditional Vietnamese medicine, herbal remedies, and medicinal herbs. According to a survey, there are currently more than 20 stalls selling these products in the market. The herbs and traditional medicines are piled up in heaps, without any labels, information about origin, or expiration dates, and are displayed right in the middle of the market.
A shop owner specializing in traditional medicine said: "We import these medicines from the mountainous provinces of Northwest Vietnam; they are rare and of high quality, so buyers can rest assured when using them."
At every stall, vendors relentlessly advertise that their herbal remedies can "cure all ailments": from liver disease, gout, vertigo, sciatica, insomnia, and erectile dysfunction, to burns, loss of appetite, headaches, joint pain, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, and even tonics for kidney health and increased vitality.
The buying and selling of herbal remedies is as commonplace as buying vegetables or fish. Buyers simply describe a few symptoms, and the seller immediately selects a "suitable" package of herbs, instructing them on how to brew or soak them in alcohol, without any medical verification whatsoever.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien (Tay Ho hamlet, Yen Thanh commune) said: “I suffer from joint pain, and I heard someone recommend traditional medicine, so I went to Dinh market to buy it. They sold it in plastic bags, saying that taking it for a month would cure it, costing 500,000 to 700,000 VND per course. They claimed it was a family-inherited herbal remedy.”
Not only in Yen Thanh commune, but also at Thanh Chuong Central Market in Dai Dong commune, there are 4-5 stalls specializing in selling herbal remedies. Here, vendors also introduce various types of red ginseng tea and Cao Bang vine tea, which they claim "strengthen the kidneys, calm the nerves, and detoxify," all packaged in plastic bags without inspection stamps. Quite a few people buy them to brew and drink.
Furthermore, at mountain markets such as Dinh Market (Tam Hop commune) or Con Cuong commune market, you'll find vendors selling all kinds of roots and leaves harvested from the forest and processed themselves.
However, these products pose a serious risk of poisoning. Recently, in Son Lam commune (formerly Thanh Chuong district), six people were suspected of being poisoned after drinking liquor made from the roots of forest plants bought at the market and gathered in the forest. Of these, four patients required intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Dr. Nguyen Trong Toan from the Toxicology Department of Nghe An Friendship General Hospital warns: “People should absolutely not use roots and bark of unknown origin to make herbal wine on their own. We have received many cases of severe poisoning, even death, due to drinking traditional herbal wine. Many people believe that wine infused with forest plants is a tonic, but in reality, it may be poisonous.”
Herbal medicines and traditional Chinese medicines need to be strictly controlled.
Health experts believe that the use of unregulated, unverified herbal medicines poses a significant threat to public health. "Many people mistakenly believe that herbal medicines are harmless, but in reality, many herbs are treated with anti-mold chemicals, contaminated with lead, or are expired. When accumulated over time, they can damage the liver, kidneys, and nervous system, even leading to kidney failure and paralysis," analyzed Mr. Minh, a traditional medicine expert.
In reality, many patients who use "over-the-counter" medicines not only fail to recover but also fall into critical condition. However, due to the habit of small-scale buying and selling without invoices or documentation, tracing the origin of these medicines is almost impossible.
Medical experts assert that currently, no single herbal remedy has been scientifically proven to completely cure chronic diseases such as liver disease, gout, osteoarthritis, or vertigo. Some herbs may help boost immunity and improve symptoms, but they absolutely cannot replace the treatment regimen of modern medicine.
The uncontrolled trade and use of traditional medicine poses a significant challenge to public health protection in Nghe An province. Reports indicate that most of these makeshift pharmacies are unregistered, lack business licenses, and have never undergone regular inspections by authorities. This constitutes a violation of laws governing the management of medical and pharmaceutical practices.
Mr. Tran Van Kien, Vice Chairman of the Yen Thanh Commune People's Committee, said: "We have repeatedly publicized and reminded traders not to sell medicines of unknown origin at Dinh Market and other markets in the area. However, management remains difficult because they frequently move around, selling goods as street vendors without a fixed location."
Given this situation, authorities need to strengthen inspections and strictly penalize illegal herbal medicine businesses, while also promoting awareness among the public about the dangers of using medicines of unknown origin. Health cannot be compromised by blind faith in anonymous packets of medicine sold in rural markets.
