On the afternoon of March 22, in response to the online rumor that the source of the "leopard bone" in the Hongmao medicinal liquor group was unknown, the publicity person in charge of the official website of Hongmao medicinal liquor responded to the surging news (www.thepaper.cn) that "our leopard bones are legal and compliant."
Recently, the Internet medical self-media "Spring Rain Doctor" issued an article questioning that the "leopard bone" in the Hongmao medicinal liquor group was of unknown origin, and did not post a special logo on the bottle and packaging in accordance with the provisions of the State Forestry Administration. The article was subsequently forwarded and discussed by numerous animal protection workers.
Both the clouded leopard and the snow leopard are nationally protected animals, and commercial import and export trade is strictly prohibited. However, a 2006 document from the State Food and Drug Administration showed that pharmaceutical manufacturers were allowed to continue to use up their existing stockpiles of leopard bones.
But "Doctor Spring Rain" questioned, filling Hongmao medicinal liquor up to 30 million bottles per year, from what channels do the huge amount of leopard bones needed to be obtained?
In this regard, the person in charge of publicity of Hongmao medicinal liquor said that the company is still discussing other questions and "may reply next week".
Leopard bone of unknown origin?
According to the Catalogue of Wild Medicinal Species under National Key Protection, which has been implemented since 1987, the medicinal material "leopard bone" comes from the feline leopard, including the clouded leopard and the snow leopard, both of which belong to the national first-level protected animals and are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and commercial import and export trade is strictly prohibited.
According to the online customer service of the official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor, all specifications of medicinal liquor of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor use the formula of 67 flavors of Traditional Chinese medicine, "Leopard Bone" is one of them, and the medicinal liquor belongs to pure Chinese medicine over-the-counter drugs.
The official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor lists 67 traditional Chinese medicine preparations in the formula of medicinal liquor. (Click to enlarge)
The "Spring Rain Doctor" question article quoted a 2006 document from the State Food and Drug Administration.
The document shows that since January 1, 2006, China has completely banned the hunting of leopards from the wild and the acquisition of leopard bones. However, in order to avoid economic losses to pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers are allowed to continue to use up their existing stockpiles of leopard bones.
Among them, the document further explains that "for varieties containing leopard bone in the prescription of proprietary Chinese medicines for internal use, the relevant drug manufacturers may report the relevant requirements of 'replacing or subtracting the toxic medicinal materials or endangered medicinal materials in the national drug standard prescriptions' according to the relevant circumstances of the specific varieties", and the document copy number of this document is the National Food and Drug Administration Note [2006] No. 118.
That is to say, since 2006, the State Food and Drug Administration has required pharmaceutical manufacturers to use only the leopard bones in stock, and recommended that enterprises consider their endangered status applications and no longer use them.
An article on the official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor on August 31, 2016 explained the process of using leopard bone: "We apply to the Food and Drug Administration and the state environmental protection agency for relevant materials and purchases every six months. The state organ will transfer the application to the expert group for evaluation, which will evaluate and then submit it to the pharmaceutical company; first check whether it is leopard bone, and then check whether the source of the leopard bone is legal. After it is found that there is and legal, the quality of the leopard bone is verified by the expert group, and Hongmao Pharmaceutical is then purchased according to the amount of application. Therefore, the large group is accurate to the balance level in terms of dosage and to the millimeter level in terms of usage. ”
The official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor has explained the source of leopard bone. (Click to enlarge)
However, referring to the above-mentioned food and drug department documents, the instructions do not answer all the doubts about the origin of leopard bones.
According to industrial and commercial information, since November 2007, the construction scale of Inner Mongolia Hongmao Sinopharm Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor, has reached an annual output of 15,000 tons of medicinal liquor, and the filling of Hongmao medicinal liquor is 30 million bottles per year.
"Doctor Chunyu" questioned, even if it is legal, from what channel is the huge amount of leopard bone needed for Hongmao medicinal liquor obtained?
In this regard, on the afternoon of March 22, the publicity person in charge displayed on the official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor responded, "I don't know much about the specific situation, but what I know is that our leopard bones are legal and compliant."
"Not using a private identity"
"Dr. Chunyu" believes that since 2006, proprietary Chinese medicines containing leopard bones should use the special logo for the management of the management of the management of wildlife management in China, and the bottle and packaging of Hongmao medicinal liquor have not found any relevant logos.
The surging news inquiry found that the State Forestry Administration did issue a relevant notice in 2003, saying, "Since January 1, 2006, all proprietary Chinese medicines containing leopard bone ingredients and leopard bone meals packaged in specifications have implemented a special labeling system for the management of the management of wild animals in China."
Subsequently, the logo was updated on June 1, 2015, but it was continued to be used.
Article 27 of the 2017 latest version of the Wildlife Protection Law stipulates: "Where it is necessary to sell, purchase or utilize wildlife under key national protection and their products due to scientific research, artificial breeding, public display and performance, protection of cultural relics or other special circumstances, it shall be approved by the competent department for wildlife protection of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and special labels shall be obtained and used in accordance with regulations to ensure traceability, except where the State Council provides otherwise for the approving authorities." ”
As for whether the medicinal liquor is marked according to law, the surging news consulted the online customer service of the official website of Hongmao Medicinal Liquor, but did not get any reply.
The publicity official said the company was still discussing other questions such as logos and "may respond next week."