Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen has defied an Australian ban to enter the community to receive COVID-19 treatment

After testing positive for COVID-19 in early January, Sharon Li began taking Lianhua Qingwen capsules, a traditional Chinese medicine banned in Australia.

Key points:

Some members of the Chinese community have been stockpiling drugs to treat coronavirus symptoms, even though this is illegal in Australia

Lianhua Qingwen capsules found on the shelves of Asian supermarkets in Melbourne

The TGA has not approved the drug in Australia because it contains a key ingredient used in the manufacture of methamphetamine

Li ordered her medication on Chinese online shopping platform Taobao and had it shipped to Australia through a third-party Courier provider.

"I heard Lianhua Qingwen capsule is very useful for treating COVID-19," Li told ABC. .

"My symptoms are relatively mild, similar to a cold or flu.

"I used to take this medicine when I had a cold in China, so I bought it."

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has not approved the drug for legal supply in Australia because it contains ephedra, a key ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth.

"Ephedra poses serious safety risks to patients, including cardiotoxicity, irreversible eye damage and severe blood sugar depletion," a TGA spokesperson said. .

Li said she did not know Lianhua was banned in Australia when she ordered it online.

She said: "I didn't know Lianhua Qingwen contained ephedra... I'm not sure if the drug is illegal or if it's just folklore." .

Looks like Lee might not be the only one. During the Omicron outbreak, the drug was in high demand in the Chinese community as a COVID-19 treatment.

It's even stocked in Asian supermarkets in Melbourne.

Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical, the manufacturer of Lianhua, told the ABC it had never exported, sold or supplied the drug to Australia because it was not registered in Australia and did not have an import licence there.