Using unsanitary bear bile will cause cancer

'Few people know that the quality of bear bile sold in Vietnam is not clean and pure. Even more than 50% of bear bile is not hygienic, metamorphosed, if used, it can lead to cancer. '

Dr. Tuan Bendixsen - Vietnam Representative of Asian Animal Organization (AAF) revealed the above information at the publication of the report " Attitudes and behavior analysis for the use of bear bile in Vietnam." "of Nature Education Center under Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, November 23, in Hanoi.

Bear bile cannot be cured

According to the results of the " Analysis of attitudes and behaviors for the use of bear bile in Vietnam ", up to 22% of more than three thousand people were randomly interviewed in three major cities, Hanoi and Da. Nang and Ho Chi Minh City have admitted to using wild bear bile.

Launched from April to the end of 2009, this report has revealed that the social motives of the origin of the use of bear bile are a kind of medicinal drug, which can cure diseases, from skin diseases such as swelling. , bruising, to medical problems such as digestion, even incurable disease is cancer. Bear bile is also a medicine found in traditional Chinese medicine three thousand years ago.

Up to 73% of respondents said that they mainly use bear bile to cure a specific disease, used for entertainment purposes only accounted for 16%. Hanoi has the highest rate of bear bile use, accounting for 35%. In particular, most people have used bear bile with a high level of education in society.

In addition, illegal buyers of bear bile in Vietnam are foreign tourists, especially from Korea.

However, at present, there is no scientific work or practical example to prove that bear bile can be cured as in the concept of traditional medicine.

Chris Gee - Director of the International Wildlife Program, World Animal Protection Association (WSPA) said: " Through some scientific studies, bear bile has a number of chemical and support compounds. support for human health and found in a number of medicinal herbs available in Vietnam ".

Dr. Tuan Bendixsen - Vietnam Representative of Asian Animal Organization (AAF) said: 'Few people know that, through surveys of quality, bear bile sold in Vietnam is almost not clean and pure. Even more than 50% of bear bile is not hygienic, metamorphosed, if used, it can lead to cancer. '

However, according to scientists, the good news is that the use of bear bile is showing signs of diminishing when recent surveys show that up to 50% of people said they stopped using bear bile because they did not see any effect. Positive health results.

Men use bear bile 10 times more than women

Scientists say that Vietnam currently has about 3,500 wild bears, being hunted and bred to exploit illegal bile and only a few hundred bears remain in the wild and maybe these are the last bears.

For natural bears not to become extinct, scientists believe that Vietnam needs to minimize the consumption of bear bile, such as finding and researching an alternative medicine, surveying to close bear farms, and strengthening the legal corridor. reasonably strong as well as raising human awareness of wildlife resources protection.

According to scientists, propaganda on the use of bear bile in the right way should be better done, especially for men. According to the survey, men use bear bile 10 times more than women for entertainment purposes, mainly drinking bear bile.

Currently, there are also natural bear protection projects such as attaching electronic chips to bears, the project launched the first rescue center, semi-wild area for bears in Tam Dao. The center used to put 200 bears in captivity and integrate into nature, resulting in a 50% reduction in the rate of illegal hunting and sale of bear bile.

But in fact, there are many bears in farms that have not been chip-mounted, or individuals with illegally attached bears are not confiscated and returned to the natural environment. So, more than ever, a strict legal framework is needed to minimize this situation.

Ms. Vu Thi Quyen, founding director and author of the report warned: ' There should be urgent and strong measures to prevent and stop captivity and trade in bear bile to protect fishes. bears, may be the last in nature Vietnam . '

' Vietnamese bears are facing the danger of extinction, we must make a difficult decision, we cannot have both bears and bears, ' Quyen concluded.