Behind the packages of medicine labeled "family tradition
At the beginning of August 2026, the Investigation Police Agency of Hanoi City Police initiated a case and prosecuted defendants Ha Quang Phuoc (born in 1952, residing in Duong Noi ward, Hanoi) and Bui Thi Tiet (born in 1988, residing in Dung Tien commune, Phu Tho province) for the act of "Producing and trading in counterfeit goods that are medicines".
According to investigation documents, from 2024, due to slow sales of traditional medicine due to slow effectiveness, Phuoc came up with the idea of mixing chemical and pharmaceutical medicines with pain reliever ingredients into traditional medicine and traditional medicine to create faster effects and attract buyers.
Phuoc bought many types of drugs with ingredients such as Paracetamol, Prednisolone and some other chemical and pharmaceutical drugs, then grinded them into powders, mixed with traditional medicine and traditional herbs of herbal origin. The product was packed in nylon bags and labeled "Homemade Traditional Medicine".
Through the process of living at the Association of Traditional Medicine Doctors, Phuoc met Bui Thi Tiet and instructed this person on how to produce. Tiet purchased herbs from ethnic minorities in mountainous areas, dried them, and ground them into powder. After that, Phuoc brought chemotherapy and pharmaceuticals to mix according to the ratio of 100g of traditional medicine with 3 pills with pain reliever ingredients and then packaged them for sale to patients.
Searching the residences and workplaces of the two defendants, the investigating agency seized thousands of packages of products labeled "Traditional Traditional Medicine", "All Diseases", along with many chemical and pharmaceutical drugs, raw materials, labels, packaging bags and machinery serving production.
Another case in Thai Nguyen also shows the trick of turning drugs of unknown origin into products labeled "family tradition".
The investigating agency confirmed that from April 2024 to May 22, 2025, Do Tien Hung bought traditional medicine products in pill form, spray form of unknown origin and not recognized by functional agencies as remedies. Hung self-packaged, designed labels and advertised under the name of traditional medicine for treating Dao ethnic bone and joint diseases of traditional medicine practitioner Trieu Thi Thanh. Hung also used the name "Luong y Ly Thi Mo" - an unreal person, created fan pages on Facebook to advertise, approach people who need to buy medicine and hire staff to call for consultation and sell goods.
Authorities warn
Quang Ninh Provincial Police have just issued a warning stating that recently, on social networking platforms such as: Facebook, Zalo, TikTok and many sales websites, advertisements for traditional medicine "family tradition", "secret tradition" have appeared commonly, being introduced as having the ability to treat many different diseases. From bone and joint diseases, diabetes, liver, kidney diseases to serious diseases such as cancer, they are all advertised as "completely cured", "completely treated", which can hit the psychology of anxiety and desire to recover quickly of patients.
The police agency recommends only buying drugs at legal establishments, pharmacies, medical examination and treatment facilities or pharmaceutical business establishments licensed by competent authorities; when buying drugs, it is necessary to carefully check the drug name, ingredients, origin, source, production facility information, labels, batch numbers, expiration dates and circulation information as prescribed.
Talking to a reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dau Xuan Canh - Chairman of the Vietnam Traditional Medicine Association - said that in the face of the situation of substandard traditional medicine, mixed with new drugs, and of unclear origin being advertised and traded on the market, the Vietnam Traditional Medicine Association is coordinating with the Ministry of Health to strengthen state management. At the same time, in the Association's system, it is also promoting propaganda, education, and raising awareness of professional staff, resolutely saying no to products that do not meet standards and quality.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dau Xuan Canh, the production and trading of fake and substandard traditional medicine or advertising exaggerating uses are actions that harm the rights of the people, and at the same time harm the traditional medicine industry and the cultural values of Vietnamese people.
