Thai traditional medicine popularity surges amidst covid-19 crisis

[webfact]

 

The turbulent times of the Covid-19 pandemic have become a potent catalyst for the growing popularity of Thai Traditional Medicine (TTM), which finds its roots firmly intertwined with diverse aspects of Thai culture, ranging from religious practices to local cuisine. This newfound acceptance of TTM as a fundamental fabric of Thai identity has emerged in the wake of the pandemic.

 

Traditional medicine in Thailand, known for the utilisation of a broad spectrum of indigenous herbs, has seen a staggering surge in usage, as evidenced by the 20th National Herbs Expo hosted by the Ministry of Public Health. Spanning five days, from June 28 to July 2, this event provided a platform for active dialogue among professionals in the field, budding entrepreneurs, and visitors keenly interested in the mystique of TTM.

 

Thai traditional medicine was primarily perceived as a dietary supplement before Covid. However, the lockdown-triggered medicine shortage transformed this perception, driving a significant shift towards the acceptance of traditional treatments, noted Pakakrong Kwankhao, head of the Thai Traditional and Herbal Medicine Centre at Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital. Moreover, the success of herbal treatments in combating Covid led to a rise in younger demographics turning to Thai traditional medicine.

According to Adisorn Pukanad of the Thai Traditional Medicine Foundation, TTM is synonymous with convenience. There are no hospital visits requisite, nor prescriptions from doctors necessary to avail these treatments.

 

by Mitch Connor

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/covid-19-crisis-boosts-thai-traditional-medicine-popularity-amidst-healthcare-shift-2

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-07-31

 

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[save the frogs]

what sorts of ailments are they used for?

[Bday Prang]

wrong tense, the word should be "surged"  why some people cannot let this go is simply evidence of how easily some were terrified by the propaganda, and how infectious that fear was

[Goat]

Many mocked them when they first told the worldabout all this and it has since been proven that these herbs have a preventitive value.

 

Very smart people the Thais. 

[stoner]

Thai traditional medicine popularity surges amidst covid-19 crisis

 

the covid crisis ended a long long time ago. 

[Goat]

3 minutes ago, stoner said:

the covid crisis ended a long long time ago. 

Because of the thai herbs.

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, Goat said:

Because of the thai herbs.

ya lets go with that. 

[transam]

19 minutes ago, Goat said:

Because of the thai herbs.

Think you have been grazing for too long.............????

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, stoner said:

Thai traditional medicine popularity surges amidst covid-19 crisis

 

the covid crisis ended a long long time ago. 

Never was a real/true crisis from the start......instead, highly manufactured to be as such. 

Most, if not all, were forced to be suckered in and conned. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From the OP article:

 

"However, as the user base of Thai traditional medicine grows, so do the questions about efficacy and safety around these treatments. Critics argue that much of the knowledge surrounding Thai traditional medicine is anecdotal, rooted in practitioner experience and historical data, rather than grounded in scientific evidence."

 

Indeed, I have no doubt that more Thais turned to their various local herbal treatments during COVID, probably because of the difficulty here for them to obtain recognized, proven COVID medications -- which typically aren't domestically produced in Thailand, and thus carry imported pricing and supply constraints.

 

Yet, just because more may try or believe in the herbal route doesn't mean those treatments have been proven with any credible research. And it's telling that the OP article here cites none, and instead says doctors from the one cited Thai hospital are planning to conduct some research on their use.

 

Thais also believe amulets will keep them safe from traffic collisions. But believing it doesn't make it so.

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's also worth noting, the Thai medical establishment here, even the mainstream parts, doesn't exactly have an unblemished credibility record when it comes to COVID treatments, even the non-herbal ones.

 

The Thai medical establishment kept flogging and prescribing the medication favipiravir as a frontline COVID treatment long after the country where it was developed (Japan) ceased using it for COVID, and many other countries, including the major ones like the U.S. and the UK, never approved or authorized favipiravir (Avigan) as a COVID treatment, because there never was a sufficient body of credible evidence to support its use.

 

Fujifilm Drops Anti-Covid-19 Pill Avigan, Once Hailed as Silver Bullet

Studies suggested antiviral drug wasn’t effective in countering the coronavirus

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fujifilm-drops-anti-covid-19-pill-avigan-once-hailed-as-silver-bullet-11665751145

 

Japan's Fujifilm stops work on Avigan as COVID drug

TOKYO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Fujifilm Holdings Corp (4901.T) has ended development of its anti-influenza drug Avigan to treat COVID-19, the firm said on Friday, after more than two years of work on a pill once hailed as Japan's biggest contribution to the global coronavirus fight.

...

Subsequent analysis of data from 84 people enrolled in the trial showed no significant results, the company said in a statement on Friday.

...

But studies in Japan were inconclusive, leading domestic regulators to hold off on approval, partly because data from animal studies showed it could lead to birth defects.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/japans-fujifilm-discontinues-development-avigan-covid-19-drug-2022-10-14/

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK