The traditional Chinese medicine Qingfei Paidu has gained market approval in Canada, making it the first anti-COVID TCM product being given the green light in a developed country, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine said on Tuesday.

The herbal medicine is based on ancient treatments recorded in classical TCM works dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220) and includes a number of ingredients, such as ephedra, almond, ginger and tangerine peel.

Li Yu, head of the administration's science and technology department, said the treatment is the most widely-used and effective TCM therapy deployed during the three-year fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. It has proven effective in helping ease symptoms of COVID-19 patients, accelerated clearing of the virus and reduced the rate of severe cases and fatalities.

The market approval covers use cases for all diseases approved by Chinese drug regulators. Canadian health authorities have also approved the treatment for alleviating symptoms linked to influenza.