1

Why can’t individuals taking NRICM101 consume iced drinks (e.g. cold milk, iced coffee, iced tea, etc.), frozen foods, or fruit?

Can individuals taking NRICM101 drink coffee?

Icy/cold foods and fruits have “cold” properties. (Among fruits, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, dragon fruit, and tomatoes are the most “cold”.) For a healthy individual not taking NRICM101, fruit is needed to maintain a healthy metabolism and immune response. Fruits can also mildly constrict blood vessels and reduce congestion and inflammation. However, during infections such as COVID-19, blood circulation needs to not be constricted so that the drug NRICM101 can circulate throughout the body to fight the virus. If you want to eat fruits, you can try less “cold” fruits, such as papaya, apples, and grapes. You may want to consult your physician.

In addition, patients taking NRICM101 should not drink coffee.

2

Is there a risk of overdose or taking too much medicine if NRICM101 is taken along with other western medicine?

Traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine have different mechanisms of action. To avoid chemical reactions between the two in gastric acid, please take NRICM101 and western medicine an hour apart (NRICM101 can be taken 1 hour before or after western medicine). Taking both types of medicine will not cause overdose. It would be ideal if your physician could make adjustments to the prescriptions based on your physical condition and the medications you’re taking.

3

After a COVID-19 patient has been released from quarantine but their lung function hasn’t fully recovered yet, how should NRICM101 be taken?

NRICM101 can reduce lung damage and pulmonary fibrosis. COVID-19 patients released from quarantine can take NRICM101 to help recover lung function and physical fitness. Take 2 packs per day, one in the morning and one at night (around the daily dosage for prevention in high-risk patients) with warm water for 21 days (3 weeks). Clinical efficacy may vary for different individuals, and treatment dosage can be increased or adjusted at the discretion of the patient’s physician.

4

Can diabetes patients use NRICM101?

Can dialysis patients use NRICM101?

Can blood cancer patients infected with COVID-19 use NRICM101?

Yes, NRICM101’s herbal ingredients have no contraindications for patients with chronic diabetes or other chronic diseases, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and thyroid disease. If you have other special medical conditions or concerns, please consult a physician.

Generally, patients regularly undergoing dialysis have a stable physical condition, so a TCM physician can prescribe NRICM101 for treatment. NRICM101 can additionally enhance lung function and improve liver and kidney function.

Patients with blood cancer, leukemia in particular, are physically weaker, so the physical reaction is more complicated. Typically, there are 3 major problems from blood cancer:

1. Fever: white blood cell dysfunction resulting from bacterial, viral, and fungal infections
2. Fatigue: anemia resulting from reduced red blood cell count and decreased oxygen supply
3. Bleeding: from a drop in blood platelets

NRICM101’s treatment approach is similar to the prescription for blood cancer, so blood cancer patients can generally use it; however, as the patient is undergoing both western treatment and TCM with NRICM101, holistic assessment should be conducted.

5

Can pregnant or breastfeeding women use NRICM101?

Yes, NRICM101’s ingredients have no contraindications with pregnancy or lactation for the mother or baby per TCM literature, so it is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to consume. (NRICM101 requires a physician’s prescription).

6

What is the recommended dosage for taking NRICM101 as a preventative medicine for those with high-risk exposure to COVID-19?

As a preventative medicine, the “sufficient” daily dosage recommendations are as follows:

RespireAid - 4 packs/day

COVRelief - 3 packs/day

COFLU Remedy - 3 packs/day

for 3 consecutive days; afterwards, you can change to taking 1 pack/day (assess your own exposure risk on a daily basis, and you can change to 2 packs/day if needed) to maintain the effective concentration of the drug.

7

What is the recommended daily intake for NRICM’s Antiviral Herbal Tea?

NRICM’s Antiviral Herbal Tea can be consumed as a tea drink. People who are living in areas with high infection risk or are interacting with people of unknown COVID-19 exposure can drink it for COVID-19 prevention. The recommended daily intake is 300-500mL, which can be consumed intermittently with regular warm water. The herbal formula for NRICM’s Antiviral Herbal Tea is considered a Chinese medicine that can be consumed as food. For normal individuals without special conditions, consuming more than the recommended intake will not result in any adverse effects. However, patients with inflammatory diseases (e.g. hepatitis), autoimmune disorders (e.g. lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), or other concerns (e.g. taking multiple other medications) should not directly consume NRICM’s Antiviral Herbal Tea without first consulting a TCM physician.

8

Should NRICM101 be consumed before or after meals for the best effect?

Taking NRICM101 before meals typically is more effective, but for individuals with weaker gastrointestinal systems (e.g. sensitive stomach, diarrhea), consuming after meals is recommended. This depends on the individual and has no strict guideline.

9

For patients diagnosed with COVID-19, does taking NRICM101 decrease the amount of time for a patient to test negative for COVID-19 in 3 consecutive PCR tests compared to patients who didn’t take the drug? After testing negative, how much longer should NRICM101 be taken?

From clinical study, NRICM101 decreases the amount of time for COVID-19 patients to test negative in 3 consecutive PCR tests. For patients who didn’t take NRICM101, the average time to 3 consecutive negative tests is 22 days, while the average time for NRICM101 patients is 9 days.

A patient should not immediately stop taking NRICM101 after testing negative. It is best to continue taking the drug and gradually reduce the dosage until completing the recommended therapeutic course to fully fight the virus. Here is the recommended dosage after testing negative:

Week 1: Continue taking the standard therapeutic dose (if you continue to have symptoms, continue the standard dose for another week)

Week 2: 2 packs/day

Week 3: 1 pack/day

If you have questions about reducing or stopping the drug dosage, consult the physician who prescribed NRICM101 to you.

Note: The standard dosage for all NRICM101 manufacturers is 3 packs/day (10g/pack) except for Sun Ten (RespireAid)’s, which is 4 packs/day.

10

Are ethnically Chinese individuals the only ones who have taken NRICM101 and experienced clinical efficacy? Are there other ethnic groups taking NRICM101 for COVID-19 treatment and prevention? Are different daily dosages needed for people of different races and ethnicities?

No, Chinese individuals are not the only ones taking NRICM101. There have been many successful cases of patients using NRICM101 in Europe, America, and Africa. The youngest known patient who took NRICM101 and fully recovered is an 8-month old American. The daily dosage for an adult is the same across all races and ethnicities, but the dosage should be adjusted for children based on their weight.

(Child body weight)     (adjust NRICM101 dose)

10kg                            → 1/4 of usual adult dose

20kg                           → 1/2 of usual adult dose

30kg                           → 3/4 of usual adult dose

40kg                           → usual adult dose