The Anti-Narcotics Headquarters confirmed the presence of opium in "anti-Corona herbal syrup"

The herbal syrup "Allergard," which is advertised by the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation, has been criticized for using opium in its ingredients.

Reza Tuyserkanmanesh, Director General of Treatment at the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, responded to these criticisms on Monday, April 26, saying that the Food and Drug Administration claimed that the amount of opium in this syrup is very diluted and can manage some of the symptoms of coronavirus, such as cough and pain.

Minoo Mahrez, a member of the scientific committee of the Coronavirus Response Headquarters, previously denied on April 20 that opium sap had any effect on treating coronavirus, saying that "it has not been proven in the world that drugs and cigarettes prevent coronavirus infection."

Ms. Mahrez also said that some people spread such rumors just to sell more of these drugs.

Algard syrup, which obtained a production license of 25,000 units per day from the Food and Drug Administration in December 2019, has helped treat up to 99 percent of coronavirus patients, according to its manufacturers.

Kianoush Jahanpour, spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration of Iran, announced in November 2020 that "a license has been issued to produce four herbal medicines" for the adjuvant treatment of coronavirus.

Mr. Jahanpour also said that advertising these drugs, like any other drug, is prohibited and their names cannot be announced in the media.

The news of the Ministry of Health's approval of herbal medicines for the treatment of coronavirus was made by a spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration, even though he himself had previously repeatedly described traditional medicine recommendations for the treatment of coronavirus as "fraud."