TCM clinic in China claiming to ‘cure cancer’ under investigation following 15 deaths

SINGAPORE: Authorities in China are investigating a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic in the central Hubei province after at least 15 people reportedly died while seeking treatment for cancer. 

Located in a northern mountain range, the Yaowang Valley Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, gained widespread attention online when its founder Wu Pengfei, peddled claims of using TCM to cure cancer and was found to have engaged in false promotions, according to Chinese media reports.

The clinic was fined 417,000 yuan (US$57,360) for engaging in “illegal acts” such as employing non-health workers to carry out medical practices. It also failed to keep records of medicine purchases and prescriptions.

According to an article published by the Beijing News daily newspaper, the clinic opened on Apr 18 and shut down on May 31 and attracted 392 patients. Fifteen patients died and 20 fell seriously ill, the report added.  

In a video promoting the clinic and its services, an accomplice of Wu’s named Hou Yuanxiang, claimed he possessed “unique medical skills” and was the “first person in China to treat cancer using TCM”.

He was previously convicted of producing and selling counterfeit drugs and is currently facing new charges related to drug management violations.

Wu had also made claims that more than 3,000 patients’ tumours had disappeared after being treated by Hou and that their cure rate for cancer patients was more than 80 per cent. 

Beijing News spoke to a woman from Qingdao city named Ms Wang Xiaoying, whose brother had sought treatment from the clinic after he was diagnosed with cancer in February earlier this year. 

The family had learned about the clinic from an online account promoting its services and claiming that its founder could treat cancer. 

Eager to seek medical treatment, Ms Wang said they drove to the clinic in April and opted to see the most expensive doctor. Her late brother had paid 18,620 yuan for a seven-day treatment known as the “plum blossom moxibustion” treatment and was given a “secret prescription” after a consultation that lasted for less than five minutes 

Moxibustion is a TCM therapy that involves the burning of a herb called moxa, on or near the surface of the skin.

After returning to Qingdao, Mr Wang took the medication and developed severe diarrhea. 

He carried on taking the medicine for half a month and lost 5kg. He was later hospitalised after being diagnosed with ascites, a serious condition that occurs when fluid builds up in the abdomen area. He died a month later despite seeking medical care. 

Other families who came forward shared that their loved ones had also died after seeking treatment at the clinic and suffering fatal symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, constipation and vomiting. 

Cited in news reports, a former doctor who worked at the clinic and was not named, revealed that Chinese aconite, a toxic root native to East Asia and parts of Russia, was used in making medication. 

Online, social media users expressed outrage and shock at the news. Some made remarks about the arrogance of the clinic in naming itself Yaowang Valley, which translates to “medicine king valley” in Chinese. 

A user on the Sina Weibo microblogging site urged people to be alert and not seek out alternative treatments when urgent medical attention is needed. 

“All these ‘secret medicine’ or ‘medicine passed down from generations’ are unreliable … Not only do they want your money, they also delay you from seeking proper treatment,” he wrote. 

In an announcement released on Monday, Dec 2, local authorities said “comprehensive investigations” against the clinic were ongoing. 

Officials thanked netizens for paying attention to the incident and promised that results of the joint investigation by health authorities and business groups would be reported in “a timely manner”. 

Recent photos published by Chinese news outlets showed that the property remains deserted.