Family sentenced for fake TCM treatment

A family involved in the illegal production and sale of traditional Chinese medicines was sentenced for obstructing pharmaceutical management on Monday.

Hou Yuanxiang, originally an elementary school teacher without any background or experience in TCM, was sentenced to six years in prison and fined 10 million yuan ($1.37 million), according to the first-instance verdict announced by the Huangdao District People's Court in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Monday.

The other defendants, which included his wife, daughter and son — also lacked qualifications as TCM practitioners.