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Herbal Health Firm Offered Woman Money to Retract Story About Daughter’s Illness

By Runhua Zhao / Jan 18, 2019 04:22 PM / Society & Culture

Fans of the herbal health company Infinitus. Photo: VCG

Fans of the herbal health company Infinitus. Photo: VCG

A woman in Shaanxi province says a Chinese herbal health company offered her money to retract allegations that her daughter fell ill as a result of the firm’s products.

Tian Shuping began purchasing Infinitus products after her three-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in 2017. At the time, Infinitus franchiser Fan Le told Tian that there was no need to follow any prescription instructions because all the products were “natural.”

When the toddler later showed symptoms of abnormal sweating and yellowing eyes, Fan told Tian to continue using Infinitus products rather than seek medical advice.

When Tian finally took her daughter to the hospital, it was only after her condition had significantly worsened. Her daughter was diagnosed with health problems caused by the accumulation of the Infinitus drugs: cardiac damage, liver damage and rickets.

An Infinitus representative reportedly offered Tian compensation of 600,000 yuan ($89,000) if she agreed to retract the allegations she had made to the media, as well as withdraw her official complaint to government authorities, according to a recording of the conversation Tian provided to The Paper. The offer would have also required Tian to go on the record stating that her daughter’s symptoms were an individual case unrelated to product quality.

Tian refused. An Infinitus staffer later said Tian turned it down because she demanded 1 million yuan, but did not offer further details.

Infinitus is an affiliate of Hong Kong sauce-maker Lee Kum Kee.

No official investigation into the case has been launched.

Related: Chinese Firm’s Drug Recalled Over Cancer-Causing Impurity


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