The Ministry of Health will provide VND30 billion ($172,000) for the evaluation of some new drugs and detoxification techniques to be introduced at rehab centers and the wider community next year.

More than 45,000 drug addicts are currently being treated at public detox centers nationwide.

Two years ago a VND49 billion (US$2,9million) traditional detoxification medicine factory was built to meet ASEAN’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and extend its activities in international markets. It is producing  traditional mecidines, marketed under the brand name “Lotus”, based on formulas thought up by herbalist Luu Van Xiem who spent more than 10 years researching the medicines.

The herbal serum, which was granted a production license from the Ministry of Health, is claimed to have no side effects while being able to help drug abusers fight withdrawal symptoms and avoid relapse in only 5 to 10 days.