President Xi Jinping regularly promotes traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the authorities praise its role in the face of the disease, in addition to modern medicine which remains by far the preferred mode of care in the country.

Traditional medicine brings together various practices (herbal medicines, minerals or animal extracts, massages, acupuncture, dietetics, tai-chi gymnastics, etc.) and has been used for millennia.

Its detractors, many in China itself, see it as ineffective pseudoscience and point out that there are few scientific studies proving its potential effectiveness.

But millions of people use it in the country, praising the virtual absence of side effects, which are customary with conventional so-called "Western" drugs (fatigue, digestive or even endocrine disorders).

Employee of a consulting company in Beijing, Yu Lei, 38, was feverish during his Covid, so he made himself a cassier tea, a kind of Chinese cinnamon, with peony roots, licorice, jujubes and ginger, a decoction with reputed anti-inflammatory properties.

"During the night, my fever went down," he told AFP.

According to its followers, Chinese medicines act more slowly, in order to regulate the body and open a way out (perspiration, urine, stool) to the pathogen.

"In the family, we often use TCM. We prefer it to Western medicines, which attack the symptoms but rarely the source of the problem," says Yu Lei.

"We do not know"

"Chinese medicines" are normally decoctions, made on the prescription of a specialized doctor.

But today, many Chinese people buy ready-made drugs directly from pharmacies, without a prescription, and whose packaging (capsules, pastilles, powders) is similar to Western drugs.

"We don't know if these treatments are effective because they haven't been studied in clinical trials," said Ben Cowling, professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong's school of public health.

"I don't rule out the possibility that some of them are effective, but I also don't rule out the possibility that some of them may be harmful."

A follower of traditional Chinese medicine prepares a decoction of herbs in his home in Beijing, December 23, 2022 © Jade Gao / AFP

For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) only recommends treatments based on chemical drugs against Covid-19.

Asked by AFP about TCM, she said laconically advising countries to "gather reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products".

Western medicine remains largely favored by the population and hospitals.

But health authorities and medical experts invited in the media regularly assure that the two medicines can play "a complementary role" against fever, joint pain, cough and sore throat.

On the internet, many autodidacts share their recipes for infusions, massage techniques or acupuncture point pressure.

A 68-year-old acupuncturist, Li Wen pricks himself with a few needles to combat his flu-like condition.

"Chinese medicines are useful in dealing with the virus, but cannot kill the virus," he said.

Pears and leek

Against a cough, Danni, a 39-year-old Beijinger, takes Pei Pa Koa, a syrup made from plant extracts.

"Not because I can't find Western medicines", which the Chinese have sometimes struggled to obtain since the explosion of Covid-19 cases, "but because it is effective and soothing", she says.

"I also make myself a soup of pears and hot water with lemon, to soothe the throat and for vitamin C intake."

A 70-year-old Beijinger, Cai Yongmao uses two Chinese medicines with anti-inflammatory properties.

“I also make myself a leek-garlic-ginger broth to relieve my sore throat,” he says.

"I have been using plants for decades to cure colds, coughs, respiratory diseases... Why? Because I am satisfied with the results and the media often praise their benefits."

But many are unconvinced.

"We young people know little about traditional medicine. We prefer Western medicines because they have immediate results," judge Grace Hsia, a 30-year-old director.

"Against the fever, I took paracetamol and the effect was very quick," says Li Na, a 36-year-old Beijinger.

"Chinese medicines are ineffective. People take more of them to reassure themselves, to tell themselves that they are taking something."

For Lan Jirui, doctor of Chinese medicine in Beijing, the doubts surrounding their effectiveness are mainly due to self-medication.

"It's the same logic as Western medicine. If the drug is bought on the prescription of the doctor, it will probably be effective. If it is bought randomly from the pharmacy, then maybe not..."

© 2023 AFP