"The rate of medicinal herbs and traditional medicine samples violating quality standards has now decreased to more than 1% of the number of samples taken for testing, much lower than in previous years. In 2010, the rate of medicinal herbs and traditional medicine samples with unsatisfactory test results was 7-10%," said Mr. Tran Minh Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management (Ministry of Health) at a press conference on the 2nd National Fair of Medicinal Herbs, Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Products in 2023. The press conference was organized by the Ministry of Health and other coordinating units this morning, November 16, in Hanoi.

According to Mr. Ngoc, the Government has policies to develop medicinal areas associated with improving people's lives. Vietnam will participate in the global medicinal market. This is a rapidly growing market, estimated to reach 400 billion USD by 2030.

Mr. Nguyen The Thinh, Director of the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management, added that Vietnam has exported strong herbs and medicinal materials such as star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric... to China, Japan, Europe... But most of them are raw or crude essential oils, so the value is not large. Therefore, along with developing growing areas, domestic units need to pay more attention to extraction and preparation technology, to have refined, high-value export products.

In response to some questions about the reason why the price of traditional medicine (medicine) has increased about 2 times compared to previous years, currently averaging 200,000 VND - 300,000 VND/dose, Mr. Thinh said that in recent years, the quality of medicinal herbs supplied to treatment units has been very strictly managed, requiring documents proving origin, source, quality test certificates for each batch... When the quality increases, the price must also increase. In addition, price slippage from market reality is also a factor causing the price of traditional medicine to increase.

Mr. Thinh said that about 70 - 80% of medicinal herbs used in the country are imported. The price of medicinal herbs depends a lot on the supplier, and fluctuates according to the time of harvest. There are times when bidding to buy medicinal herbs is difficult, there are no suppliers due to the increase in actual prices, but the planned prices of hospitals are approved lower than the actual prices.

According to the Ministry of Health, medicinal herbs supplied to hospitals and treatment units are quality controlled. Batches of medicinal herbs must have full origin, provenance, and quality testing. There will be a website in the country posting a list of medicinal herbs grown according to standards so that units can look up medicinal herb records, including information about the growing area and the farming unit responsible for quality.