A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic that promised a “secret remedy” for cancer is now under investigation after at least 15 patients died and the health of 20 others worsened following treatment.

The Yaowang Valley Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, located in the Wudang Mountain Tourism Special Economic Zone in central China’s Hubei province, was shut down on May 31 after an investigation by local health and market regulation authorities. The clinic, which opened just over a month earlier on April 18, was also fined 417,000 yuan ($57,000) for illegal medical practices and deceptive promotion.

The investigation began after complaints from several patients’ families, who reported worsening health and questionable practices to authorities.

While no arrests or detentions have been made as authorities continue to gather evidence, the case has been transferred to the local public security bureau for further investigation.

Domestic media reports indicate that the clinic’s founder, Wu Pengfei, and self-proclaimed “anti-cancer master” Hou Yuanxiang are central figures in the investigation. Hou, who lacks formal medical qualifications, was previously convicted of producing and selling counterfeit drugs and now faces new charges related to drug management violations.

The clinic gained widespread attention on social media after Wu promoted it extensively through videos on his WeChat channel and Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. The videos showcased bold claims about the clinic's ability to cure all types of cancer, attracting hundreds of desperate patients from across the country.

Most were charged between 14,900 and 16,900 yuan per month for prescriptions and treatment, depending on the doctor treating them.

Wang Xiaobo, a 53-year-old liver cancer patient diagnosed in February, was among those drawn to the clinic after his family saw glowing promotional videos online. Hoping for a cure, he drove more than 1,200 kilometers from the eastern coastal city of Qingdao to Wudang Mountain.

According to the Beijing News, Wang opted for the most expensive doctor, and his consultation lasted less than five minutes before he was sent to receive the “secret” remedy, which the clinic claimed had been prepared by “anti-cancer master” Hou Yuanxiang.

After returning home, Wang followed the prescribed treatment but developed severe diarrhea. When he reported the symptoms, a doctor from the same clinic dismissed them as part of the normal healing process. Over the next two weeks, he lost five kilograms and grew weaker.

When his condition deteriorated further, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with liver ascites, a fatal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Despite receiving medical care, Wang died more than a month later.

Patients who took the clinic’s “secret remedy” frequently reported similar symptoms, including fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, coughing blood, and vomiting, according to an investigation by the Beijing News.

Dong Jinsong, from the northern Hebei province, recalled how his wife, who had been suffering from retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, a condition involving enlarged lymph nodes behind the abdominal cavity, began vomiting uncontrollably on the tenth day of treatment and died the following morning.

In Hubei, Xu Zhihui said her husband, in the late stages of lung adenocarcinoma, developed severe constipation after a week of using the remedy. A hospital exam revealed widespread cancer metastasis, and he passed away on Sept. 28.

The worsening conditions of patients prompted many family members to report the clinic to local authorities. The ensuing investigation revealed that, in just over a month, the clinic had treated 392 patients. Of those, 15 died after using the clinic’s remedy — one within 10 days and the others within one to six months.

According to Liu Yilan, a former doctor at the clinic whose medical license was suspended for six months, the main ingredient in the so-called “secret remedy” was fuzi, or aconite root, a toxic herb. Improper dosage or processing can lead to serious side effects, including dizziness, palpitations, arrhythmia, and even cardiac paralysis, which can be fatal.

Editor: Apurva.

(Header image: The TCM clinic that claimed to cure cancer in Shiyan, Hubei province, November 2024. From @新京报 on Weibo)