NEXT STEP: Two companies are to work with two hospitals to conduct phase 3 clinical trials to obtain a formal pharmaceutical permit for the COVID-19 medicineBy Chiu Chih-jou and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Taipei, Sept. 9 (CNA) The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on Friday expanded eligibility to get a traditional herbal formula used to treat COVID-19 for free just a day after setting tighter restrictions for its free distribution.
LESS DEPENDENT: Farmers who boost medicinal plant harvests in Taiwan would get a bonus, Department of Chinese Medicine Director-General Huang Yi-tsau saidBy Yang Yuan-ting and Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has proposed that NT$70 million (US$2.38 million) be allocated next year to subsidize the cultivation of medicinal plants in a bid to reduce dependency on ones imported from China.
Taiwan imports more than 20,000 tonnes of materials per year from China to make traditional Chinese medicines, including the herbs used to make Taiwan Chingguan Yihau (清冠一號), or NRICM101, a locally developed traditional herbal formula that is deemed effective against COVID-19.
To reduce reliance on medicinal herbs from China, the ministry said that it has worked with the Council of Agriculture (COA) to develop a list of