To attract patients, Chinese drug stores hype precious medicines to treat terminal illnesses. For instance, "the five treasure powders" (musk, bear gall secretion, ox bezoar, amber and pearls) have been used to treat cancer.
為取信病人，中藥自然發展出一些珍奇藥材來治絕症，比如集合麝香、熊膽、牛黃、琥珀、珍珠等五種藥材的「五寶散」，就被用來治癌症，價格高昂。