Josh, london, uk :
I agree with you. The only problem is Western people knows no Chinese, espcecially ancient Chinese, so they are afraid of it. Here in Asia, espcially in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand etc most people welcome traditional medicines rather than drugs.

Jean evans, Beijing, China

Many herbal 'medicines' are dangerous and the claims made by their purveyors cannot be substantiated. Avoid at all costs and seek proper medical advice.

Alan Henness, Glasgow,

Using the logic of MS from Windsor, Islam must be true because that's been around nearly 1400 years, Christianity is correct as it's 2000 years old and the world must be flat because that was the prevailing belief for longer than any mainstream religion has been around. Hope you're not a teacher...

Tinaldinho, London, England

I'm sure those Chinese athletes who are serious about breaking the rules probably follow the example of their foreign colleagues and use proven performance enhancing drugs. Several broad shouldered female swimmers come to mind.

David Lea-Smith, Edinburgh, U.K.

Right...uh huh...the ultimate workers paradise with the communist/state emphasis on success at all costs would only test positive for banned substances due to "ancient chinese secret".

george l., arona, Italy

i think everyone should stop being so skeptical about china and actually give her a chance.
it's not like the us would've been a much better host for the olympics anyway.
don't try chinese medicine if you don't like it.
and i'm sure the americans did much more than "beat people up" with iraq.

Yumiko Matsubara, Nagoya, Japan

Anyone who is Anti-Chinese in their comments on this article is sad. I am an American in China and I as well as people from all over the world love living here. If you haven't had the opportunity to travel or live in China you are ignorant about it and should probably shut your mouth.

Robert Morrison, Tacoma, USA

I am a Sinophile who is personally boycotting the 2008 Olympics. I pray for an Olympics in a free Beijing during my lifetime. God bless all the Chinese peoples.

House, wdc, usa

Can we say Communist Country?

Debbie, California, USA

And what about the Tibetans? Aren't they dying of lead poisoning?

miguel, Wang Chung, UK,

Hook, line, and sinker...the majority of pharmaceuticals are derived from herbs. Pharmaceutical companies will test (ignoring bad results) until they get the results they want so they can sell their medicine. I have seen many cured by TCM who could find no relief at all from conventional medicine.

D Bennett, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

The thing to remember is that the placebo affect is VERY strong...so if someone is given medicine and told it will work but in reality it has no affect medicinally, the MIND itself thinks the body is healed cos the placebo affect is crucial in healing processes.that is why chinese medicine works

ruby cooper, nice, france

As a sceptic, I feel honour bound to point out that these herbal medicines may well cure whatever it is they're supposed to (e.g. eczema); it's the unknown side-effects (e.g. organ failure) which may be a problem. Drug companies discard many drugs which work but have complications; herbalists don't

Josh, london, uk

Traditional Chinese "medicine" is largely responsible for the continued poaching and near extinction of many animals. It is the Chinese demand for body parts of exotic animals that is financing the trade. 2000 yr-old snake oil is still snake oil.

Stephanie , Bristol,

I agree with Peter in Beijing. The Chinese wouldn't be using these medicines hundreds, or thousands, of years after their original use if they were mere placebos.

If I was ill and someone offered me a genuine traditional cure, I'd not turn my nose up at it.

MS, Windsor, England

Ah, but just how dry should these Deer Penis Martinis be? Shaken or mixed?

Rick A Hyatt, saratoga, wyoming

Wang Cheng merely misunderstood the question.

Dean, Kula, Hawaii

This sounds like pre-spin. I think Chinese officials are expecting major doping allegations (maybe something previusly under-the-radar is now on the radar). Now they can blame Ginseng.

Do you really think Chinese athletes are putting anything in their bodies not approved by their docs/trainers?

Michael, Providence, RI, USA

Funny.... The same Leftwing communist lovers who supported the communist revolution in China are now crying crocodile's tears for Tibet.

Mike, LA, USA

chinese medicine has no value at all ? did you ever try any of them in the proper way ? forget that usa has produced more CO2 than anyone else and developed and sold the fertilisers causing the algal bloom. illegal wars, Guantanamo, LA riots, out of control drug abuse.. USA = HYPOCRITES

James, Amsterdam, China

Sounds like a pharmaceutical PR wet dream to disparage cheap, foreign competition with longer track records.

ba, Fairbanks, AK, USA

I just want to see what is a foreigner 's attitude about our CHINA .the pollution of enviroment is due to Chinese?the qustion of Da-la?IS it an awful country?who can tell me?

longda, guangdong,

Doesn't that sound a bit like a private 'pet' name'?

You know - 'i'll give you some alcohol with a portion of some efficacious 'deer' penis' to make everything better!' lol

Joking apart, its supposed to work - apparently it hits the 'spot'.

Ajaz, Leeds, UK

These comments highlight the west's ignorance on this subject. While not an expert on Zhong Yao (chinese medicine) myself I have met enough intelligent, modern Chinese people in my life who use it to know it isn't all supersition. It is an integral and mostly valid part of an ancient civilisation.

peter, Beijing, China

Hmmm...yeah, deer penis, isn't that what Kwai Chang snatched out of Master Kan's hand in the old TV series "Kung Fu?"

David Bullivant, Sacramento, United States

That's good...just because an illegal, performance-enhancing substance turns up in a natural-occurring source (herb, animal organ) doesnt exempt the user from the same ban received by someone injecting a lab-made chemical compound!! That's the way it should be!!

Verballistic, Yuma, AZ, USA

Deer's penis and alcohol and I'll feel better, eh? Tell you what, keep the deer penis, gimme the alcohol, and I'll be just fine!

Brokeback Obama, Nederland, USA

“'No matter how excellent an athlete is, he or she will be severely punished if they test positive,' Xinhua news agency quoted...". What, will they be beaten like Buddhist monks?

Jeff , Fitchburg, WI, USA

Lets see air pollution is out of control, the sea is choked with algae due to pollution from fertilizer and sewage and the athletes are polluted by traditional remedies. Let's see China is a great selection for the Olympics. Right?

hisako Jones, Bolingbrook, il, usa

Used for thousands of years, yet still no scientific proof it helps or cures. Another thousand years wont change that.

Brap Pee, Rincon Park, USA

It's the traditional remedies and medicines that are triggering positive drug tests. Honest!

Cynthia, Palatine, IL, USA