The journey to preserve Vietnam's precious medicinal herbs is still arduous, but with the passion and desire to develop the domestic pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong decided not to stop walking. He said that herbal medicine is the treasure of Vietnamese people.
Entrepreneur Ngo Duc Phuong, Professional Director of Chan Duoc Joint Stock Company.
Passion and attachment to medicinal herbs
Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong was born into a family with a tradition of practicing medicine in Nghe An. His father is a physician, a doctor and his mother is a nurse, so since childhood, Ngo Duc Phuong was passionate about medicinal plants and later studied biology. After graduating from university, he worked at the Institute of Medicine.
Sharing with us about the journey of sticking with herbal medicine, Dr. Phuong said, in order to satisfy his passion for finding information about medicinal plants in different regions and ethnic groups, he went to most provinces and cities across the country. Many trips last up to a month, just to know how that species grows, suitable for which climate and soil.
“As soon as I heard about the drug's information, I immediately set out, even if I had to eat the forest and sleep in the dust. Herbal medicine is like a treasure, always opening up for me miracles”, Dr. Phuong said.
In the process of learning about medicinal herbs, in addition to accumulating knowledge and experience, he has experienced, traveled around, interacted with many people, thereby understanding more about the culture and life of the people. Not only knowing more about the reserves, distribution and current status of medicinal plants in each locality, he also learned a lot of knowledge from the people, the healers about the uses of medicinal plants and remedies.
In 2010, his passion for medicinal herbs had to be put on hold due to conditions economy family. He turned sideways, taking the position of Director at a company specializing in genetic testing services. Although the work was hectic, every time a former colleague called to report that there was a strange medicinal plant, he immediately went to the place to find out, and then hurriedly returned to work.
In 2014, he decided to quit a high-paying job to return to the arduous pharmaceutical field. Recalling this period, Dr. Phuong said: “At that time, I simply thought of quitting my job to return to my passion. Since then, I have loved my work more and more, because medicinal herbs and herbal medicines bring many benefits to the community. Sometimes, I find that choosing to stick with Southern medicine is a predestined fate."
Witnessing Phuong's passion and attachment to herbs and medicinal plants for many years, people in the profession call him "Medicinal Method".
According to Dr. Phuong, the Vietnamese ethnic community has a lot of valuable experience in using available herbs as medicine and health care. That resource includes a large number of species widely distributed throughout the country, each year providing a ton of medicinal herbs for domestic use and export, bringing high economic value.
However, due to various reasons, the natural distribution area of many medicinal plant species has been affected and is in serious decline. Many medicinal plants that were previously able to be harvested naturally in large quantities are now very limited. Many places have had to plant to preserve precious varieties and proactively supply.
This is also part of the reason that prompted him to build a herbal garden on the wasteland in Ba Vi (Hanoi) in 2018. To date, this herbal garden has more than 600 species, including many plants. Precious medicines were brought back by him from all over the country. The huge source of medicinal herbs that Dr. Phuong is the result of a long, arduous journey.
Not only passionate about collecting precious medicinal plants, with his experience, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong has supported people in many localities, especially ethnic minority areas, to sustainably exploit medicinal plants, collect and process them according to standards to sell at high prices...
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Concerned with clean herbs
People in the industry call him a "forest-loving doctor", so how do you spend time with your family?
“I have very little time for my family, as research and business take up most of my time. I always feel sorry for my wife and children, but there is no other way."
It seems you don't have free time to do other passions?
“I have almost no interest other than learning about herbal medicine.”
So, your life is out of balance?
“I find joy and happiness in herbal medicine and happy because of my dedication.”
During the past 20 years, from stepping into the forest or going into the sea to discover Vietnam's medicinal treasures, search for new herbal species to make medicine, preserve the genetic resources of precious herbal species in nature, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong realizes the fact that Vietnam's natural herbal treasure is on the verge of extinction.
“Once held the number 2 position in the world in terms of biodiversity with more than 12.000 species of plants, including more than 5.000 species that can be used as medicine, especially many rare endemic plants found only in Vietnam such as ginseng. Ngoc Linh, vegetarian in the North…, but we are faced with a paradox: 90% of medicinal herbs are imported from abroad, most of which have been verified as 'medicinal waste' with no active ingredients, "Dr. Phuong worries.
He grieve because precious medicinal plants that are national products are hunted, exploited, dug up to their roots, uprooted to sell cheaply abroad. Not only that, many bad guys have taken advantage of the patient's gullibility to profit, distort scientific information, sell products labeled "health protection" but the ingredients are not clear, there is no quality control, ineffective use, even harmful to health.
Concerned about the way to preserve medicinal plants and aspire to develop the domestic pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industry, in 2020, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong and pharmacologists established Chan Duoc Joint Stock Company, carrying out the mission of sustainable development of Vietnam's pharmaceutical industry in a proactive and scientific way, supporting patients with knowledge and information. precision, with high quality health care products from clean standard herbal sources.
Dr. Phuong shared, the company was named "Treat Duoc" with the principle: real herbs for Vietnamese people's health. That is also the strong commitment of True Medicine in the process of operation. Since its establishment until now, Chan Duoc together with the Institute of Southern Medicinal Plants have provided a source of high standard medicinal herbs for consumption; researching, testing, manufacturing pharmaceutical products, providing standard samples of medicinal herbs; training in botanicals, herbs, professional advice, development of medicinal herbs growing areas according to GACP clean herbal standards.
Talking about the difficulties of a scientist taking on the role of an entrepreneur, Dr. Phuong said that the biggest challenge for him is sales. “The product is good, but if it does not reach the consumer, it is also a failure. Therefore, in the current period, Chan Duoc is focusing on sales and distribution of products", said Dr. Phuong said.
In order to control the quality of the input, he has very high requirements for the material growing area. Up to now, in addition to Ba Vi, Chan Duoc has built material growing areas in Lang Son and Son La, with many precious medicinal herbs. This is both a raw material area for Chan Duoc's production, as well as a place for him to introduce to colleagues, partners and enthusiasts of medicinal herbs to learn and research.
With a rigorous and serious working process, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong is not chasing quantity, but going into research and bringing to market really quality products.
Currently, Zhen Duoc's main products include products that detox the liver and support hair growth, helping to reduce hair loss, eat well, and sleep well. In addition, Chan Duoc is researching a number of recipes to prepare sedatives, treatment of gout, joint pain, etc. In addition, Chan Duoc also has 18 types of herbal teas for daily drinking. increase resistance for the elderly, people with chronic diseases.
In particular, Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong is working with Chan Duoc and people in other regions and regions to apply science and technology to build a standardized medicinal herb growing area to develop and preserve precious herbal species in the country, serving consumers and businesses. manufacturing pharmaceuticals and functional foods.
The journey of True Medicine will continue to be prolonged, because every step of True Medicine carries the value of truth - goodness - beauty. Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong believes that only real values can exist and develop sustainably, only real herbs can help patients overcome difficulties and diseases.
“Chen Duoc is a rare unit in Vietnam that has a medicinal herb conservation garden in the heart of Hanoi with nearly 600 species of medicinal plants collected throughout the South and the North; at the same time has the ability to analyze and assess all species of Vietnamese plants", Dr. Ngo Duc Phuong proudly said.
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