---
title: "“Totally Baseless” — TCM Professor Slams Australian Study Which Claimed Bak Kut Teh Causes Liver Failure"
url: https://weirdkaya.com/tcm-professor-slams-australian-study-bak-kut-teh-causes-liver-failure/
date: 2022-07-14
modified: 2022-07-14
lang: en
author: "Yu Ang Tan"
description: "Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners have strongly condemned a recent study by the University of Adelaide which claimed that eating bak kut teh with medicine leads to liver failure. For..."
categories:
  - "Lifestyle"
  - "Society"
tags:
  - "#Trending"
  - "Australia"
  - "bak kut teh"
  - "FCPAAM"
  - "Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association of Malaysia"
  - "Malaysia"
  - "Ng Po Kok"
  - "TCM professor"
image: https://cdn.weirdkaya.com/media/Federation-of-Chinese-Physicians-and-Acupuncturists-Association-of-Malaysia.png
word_count: 281
---

# “Totally Baseless” — TCM Professor Slams Australian Study Which Claimed Bak Kut Teh Causes Liver Failure

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners have strongly condemned a recent study by the University of Adelaide which claimed that eating bak kut teh with medicine leads to liver failure.

![Bak Kut Teh](https://weirdkaya.com/wp-content/uploads/Bak-Kut-Teh.jpg)For illustrative purposes only. Photo: [Asian inspirations ](https://asianinspirations.com.au/recipes/malaysian-bak-kut-teh-herbal-soup/)

Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association of Malaysia (FCPAAM) president Professor Dr. Ng Po Kok told [China Press](https://www.chinapress.com.my/20220713/肉骨茶不可掺西药？黄保国：无稽之谈/) that the research was baseless and had no real facts to it.

#### "Unless irresponsible merchants mix banned drugs into the mix, there is no risk of liver or kidney failure caused by traditional Chinese medicine."

He added that the researchers who suggested that eating bak kut teh with Western medicine would lead to liver failure failed to explain what formulation was studied and which ingredient posed a risk.

"All of the ingredients in bak kut teh are of the same origin as traditional medicine such as wolfberry, angelica, and *yu zhu*, which help with blood circulation.

> **[As a whole], I think the expert's claims are nonsensical."**

## 'No big deal'

Dr Ng told the Chinese daily that there are no issues in taking Chinese medicine along with Western medicine in between intervals.

#### "The people of Klang have been eating (bak kut teh) for so long, but they haven't had any problems so far," he said.

He also emphasized that as long as one maintains a balanced diet, they do not have to worry about health problems caused by eating bak kut teh.

On Tuesday (July 12), Professor Robert Byard from the University of Adelaide said that those who eat bak kut teh with prescription drugs are at a higher risk of liver failure.

Read our coverage [here](https://weirdkaya.com/eating-bak-kut-teh-with-medicine-liver-failure/):

https://weirdkaya.com/eating-bak-kut-teh-with-medicine-liver-failure/

### Read More:

- [M’sians Find Taiwanese Bak Kut Teh Chips Packaging So Wrong, Brand Quickly Pulls It After Being Called Out](https://weirdkaya.com/msians-find-taiwanese-bak-kut-teh-chips-packaging-so-wrong-brand-quickly-pulls-it-after-being-called-out/)
- [‘Wikipedia Says So!’ — PAS MP Insists That ‘Bak’ In Bak Kut Teh Means Pork Meat](https://weirdkaya.com/pas-mp-insists-that-bak-in-bak-kut-teh-means-pork-meat/)
- [While SG’s Celebrating TayTay, M’sia Is Losing Its Mind Over Bak Kut Teh](https://weirdkaya.com/while-sgs-celebrating-taytay-msia-is-losing-its-mind-over-bak-kut-teh/)
- [UMNO Leader Calls For Tourism Minister’s Firing For Naming Bak Kut Teh As National Heritage Dish](https://weirdkaya.com/umno-leader-bak-kut-teh-national-heritage-dish/)
- [Bak Kut Teh Officially Named As National Heritage Food In M’sia](https://weirdkaya.com/bak-kut-teh-national-heritage-food-in-msia/)
- [Australian Researchers Find Eating Bak Kut Teh With Medicine Can Lead To Liver Failure](https://weirdkaya.com/eating-bak-kut-teh-with-medicine-liver-failure/)

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Cover Images via [enanyang](https://www.enanyang.my/时事/【武汉肺炎】黄保国应咨询专业中医-勿滥用抗疫偏方) & asian inspiration

**Editor: **Sarah Yeoh