Chinese Herbal Drug Banned After Deaths

An herbal drug used to treat respiratory infections has been pulled from the Chinese market after three people died this month from taking it.

China’s State Food and Drug Administration and Ministry of Health announced late last week that the intravenous drug—Shuang Huang Lian (SHL)—was being banned for sale and consumption. They cited concerns about the drug’s safety.

The deaths occurred in three different provinces and involved forms SHL manufactured by at least two different Chinese pharmaceutical companies. The three patients who died after injecting the herbal drug had been taking it in combination with other medications. Researchers are investigating the cause of the fatal reactions.

While SHL, which is delivered by injection, has been banned, a very similar drug in pill form is still on the market.

(NTDTV)