A stool was sold for 7,900 yuan, claiming to be able to cure COVID-19. A case has been filed for investigation!

Recently, on the streets of Shenyang, Liaoning, many elderly people gather in some moxibustion halls every day, lining up early to experience a stool that claims to be able to change the body's internal circulation and even "cure all diseases." What kind of stool is so magical?

Shenyang, Liaoning:

Elderly people queue up to experience moxibustion bench

Merchants claim that it can protect against all diseases after use

Before 9 o'clock in the morning, the first experience of this moxibustion hall has ended. The staff said that there will be a total of six sessions of experience from 8 am to 4 pm every day, each lasting 40 minutes. It is best to make an appointment a few hours in advance.

A staff member of an moxibustion clinic in Shenyang, Liaoning Province: You have to queue up, there are 35 people inside.

Afterwards, the staff coordinated two locations for the reporter. In the 20-square-meter room, nearly 40 elderly people came to experience the moxibustion bench. Judging from their proficiency in operation, they were already regular customers.

After the power was turned on, the reporter felt the heat coming from the buttocks and waist. The staff said that the company was having an event today and each experiencer could receive a small box of moxa for free. This would increase the therapeutic effect a lot compared to the usual six experiences sharing one box of moxa.

While experiencing it, the TV at the front of the room began to broadcast a health lecture related to moxibustion, and the speaker was the president of the moxibustion center headquarters.

The speaker of a lecture at a moxibustion center in Shenyang, Liaoning Province said: Everyone must remember that the best way to treat children is not necessarily to leave them a lot of money or houses. In fact, you should protect yourself and take good care of yourself, and protect your health so that they can rest assured.

This opening was recognized by the elderly people. Afterwards, the speaker began to introduce that insisting on sitting on the moxibustion bench every day can improve the body's yang energy and thus achieve "immunity to all diseases."

The speaker at a lecture at an moxibustion hall in Shenyang, Liaoning Province: It is helpful for heart failure, as it can enhance the vitality of the heart; it can regulate spleen deficiency and promote digestion; it can regulate lung deficiency and enhance lung power.

Liaoning Shenyang: The "efficacy" of the moxibustion stool is becoming more and more miraculous, and it can even cure COVID-19

After listening to the speaker's introduction, I felt that this moxibustion bench was really magical. But when the reporter asked the store staff whether the moxibustion bench could really cure diseases, the staff seemed very cautious, saying that moxibustion can regulate the body's internal circulation and ultimately prevent diseases. But the reporter heard a different answer from the elderly who experienced it.

Experiencer: Sit down, the mugwort goes in, and the whole nodule is healed. Just now, there was a child with diabetes. He sat for a while, and his diabetes level dropped by two levels. He was very happy and insisted on buying the machine. There was also a woman who hadn't had a child for a long time. I don't know what disease she had. She came and sat for a while, and she was three months pregnant and got the good news.

When the reporter asked about the price of the moxibustion stool, the old man said that usually one stool costs more than 7,900 yuan, not including the moxa used in the stool. But recently the company held an event, each stool only costs 5,290 yuan after discount, and five years of moxa is given as a gift. Including them, nearly 70 old people in the museum participated in the group purchase. It is said that this is the last time the company holds an event, because the moxibustion stool is so popular that the moxibustion resources are in short supply.

The staff tactfully revealed that they were willing to help the reporter apply with the company and enjoy the group purchase price. Afterwards, the reporter asked to see the user's sharing and verify the healing effect of the moxibustion stool.

Reporter: Is this considered a health care device?

A staff member of an moxibustion clinic in Shenyang, Liaoning Province: Moxibustion is used to treat diseases. At the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, the new coronavirus broke out. As a result, the Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital used moxibustion to treat it. A total of 29 people were admitted to the hospital, and none of them died.

"Moxibustion stool cures diseases" suspected of false advertising has been filed

What is the use of moxibustion stool? Can it really cure diseases? The reporter went to Shenyang Market Supervision and Administration Bureau to find out more.

Staff from the Shenyang Market Supervision Administration entered the product name on the official website of the State Food and Drug Administration, and the query showed no relevant information about moxibustion stools.

Zhang Gong, deputy director of the Price Supervision and Competition Department of the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shenyang, Liaoning Province: Formal medical devices must have a production license and registration certificate on the outer packaging and on the brand name. These two numbers can be found on the website of the State Drug Administration. If it is a medical device and involves its publicity, then we will also clearly mark the scope of application of the medical device when we review and file it with the state. If it exceeds its marked scope, it is suspected of false publicity and exaggerated publicity.

At present, the market supervision and management department of Shenyang has filed a case against moxibustion clinics suspected of false and exaggerated propaganda, and is also conducting inspections on elderly health experience venues across the city.

Zhang Gong, deputy director of the Price Supervision and Competition Division of the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Shenyang, Liaoning Province: During the investigation process, we found that some products have functions such as heating and humidification. After the elderly sit on them, they feel very comfortable, which may make them feel good and their physical indicators may improve. But this is definitely not an indicator of disease treatment, so everyone must pay attention to it.

Generally speaking, moxibustion achieves the therapeutic effect of disease prevention and health care by fumigating the corresponding acupuncture points with the medicinal properties of mugwort and fire, but it is not suitable for everyone.

This seemingly magical "treasure" was found by the market supervision department to be not a medical device, and even a "three-no" product. Since it is not a medical device, can the moxibustion stool still play the moxibustion role it claims? Can it really cure all diseases?

The answer is no.

The reporter learned that in order to promote the moxibustion stool, the salesman claimed that as long as you insist on sitting on the stool every day, you can improve the body's yang energy and achieve "immunity to all diseases." This product can not only enhance heart vitality, regulate spleen and lung deficiency, lower blood sugar, treat infertility, but also resist the new coronavirus. This is simply nonsense in the eyes of professional doctors.

Video screenshots

"The basis of moxibustion is to light moxa sticks to generate heat, which stimulates the acupoints to a certain extent, so its task is not to rely on the smoke from moxa sticks. It is not the same as the smoke from ordinary people. This stimulation is mainly based on heat, so we call it moxibustion, but it is by no means as simple as sitting on a stool." Chen Rixin, deputy director of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, introduced that moxibustion is a treatment method that uses the heat generated by materials made of mugwort leaves to stimulate acupuncture points or specific parts of the body surface, and adjusts the disordered physiological functions of the human body by stimulating the activity of meridian qi, thereby achieving the purpose of preventing and curing diseases.

The so-called moxibustion bench can cure all diseases, but it is just a scam under the guise of moxibustion.

Chen Rixin said that when doing moxibustion, you must find the right parts and acupoints to ensure the effect of moxibustion, and there are certain limitations to the use of moxibustion therapy. In terms of the user population, infants, comatose patients, people with sensory disorders, advanced tumors, diabetes, tuberculosis, hemorrhagic cerebrovascular diseases (acute phase), and people who vomit (cough) a lot of blood are not suitable for moxibustion. In terms of moxibustion sites, the abdomen and lumbar sacral area of ​​pregnant women and skin ulcers are not suitable for moxibustion. In terms of physical condition at the time of use, moxibustion is not suitable for people who are too hungry, too full, overworked, drunk, etc.

"In addition, moxibustion treatment is systematic and targeted." Chen Rixin introduced that systematic moxibustion treatment should first use the aromatic properties of wormwood to promote the upper Jiao, purify the upper respiratory tract, and enhance immune function; then use hot water with wormwood juice to soak the feet, warm the lower Jiao, and expel the cold and dampness in the body; finally, light the moxa stick, fumigate the relevant acupuncture points such as Zhongwan, Shenque, Guanyuan, etc. in the abdomen, warm the middle Jiao, and thus achieve the overall effect of warming yang and invigorating qi, aromaticizing and removing dampness, and promoting the three Jiaos. It is precisely because of the particularity of moxibustion treatment that it played a good role in the treatment of new crown patients at the beginning of the spread of the new crown epidemic.

"Moxibustion also varies from person to person." Chen Rixin said that moxibustion treatment is carried out in an appropriate amount according to the patient's body's own demand for moxibustion, so that the qi can reach the diseased area. In clinical treatment, doctors will formulate a "one-to-one" treatment plan based on the patient's actual condition. The moxibustion time and acupoints vary from person to person, in order to achieve the best moxibustion effect of "heat penetration, heat expansion, and heat transfer until the whole body is warm." In addition, if moxibustion is used to prevent disease, the principle of no disease should be followed, that is, moxibustion should be performed in a healthy state. It is generally recommended to apply moxibustion at the turn of cold and warm in spring and autumn, for middle-aged and elderly people, and for people with cold constitutions.

During the interview, the reporter learned that according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, even if a disease is collectively referred to, there may be multiple causes. Blind moxibustion not only fails to achieve the effect of treatment and prevention, but may even aggravate the condition. Therefore, if citizens want to use moxibustion, they should go to a regular hospital or let qualified professionals perform "moxibustion" according to the symptoms. Do not do it randomly, which may cause harm to the body.

◎ Science and Technology Daily reporter Wei Yichen

Source: Science and Technology Daily, CCTV Finance, Guangming Online

Editor: Zhang Qiqi

Review: Yue Liang

Final review: Liu Haiying