About us

LIAN started from an initiative of therapists, doctors and physicians with the aim of facilitating access to high-quality Chinese herbs and contributing to the spread of traditional Chinese medicine. The company was founded on August 8, 2000 and was built with a lot of heart and commitment. Since then, the lotus blossom LIAN has thrived - in Switzerland as well as in Europe. It has established itself as a specialty pharmacy for Chinese herbal medicine. Our core competency is the dispatch of individually prescribed herbal formulas from dried raw herbs and granules. We also develop and produce finished products in the fields of skin care and nutritional supplements. Like a bamboo branch, flexible and powerful at the same time, we want to continue to develop innovative ideas and realise new projects. Our task is to stay healthy and spread health. Chinese medicine supports us in that.

Since the year 2000, we have been happily and successfully selling Chinese herbs in Switzerland. Due to the high quality requirements in Switzerland, we only sell tested products, which are among the best in the world.

Lian CHINAHERB AG
Fürtistrasse 7
8832 Wollerau

Tel. +41 (0)44 786 99 99
Fax. +41 (0)44 786 99 90
info@lian.ch

TCM granules are legally classified as medicinal products in Switzerland. Chinese raw herbs are classified into different grades depending on the substance, some are classified as food and others as medicines. Identity, quality and purity of the raw materials must be proven through analyis carried out by the importer. The purity analyses are carried out by LIAN in recognized contract laboratories. Even if EU GMP test certificates are available, an identity analysis must also be carried out by the pharmacy. LIAN performs these identity analyses in our in-house laboratory using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). LIAN, as an importer, possesses a licence for the import, export and wholesale trade as well as a GMP certificate for the production and analysis of TCM medicines.

Our sales representatives Eros De Giovanni and Nathalie Heuer are happy to visit you and give you advice regarding how to order, using our Online Ordering System (OOS) and about new products. It's also possible to arrage a visit to LIAN's pharmacy and production centre in Wollerau. If you would like to get in contact with our sales representatives, please send an e-mail to aussendienst@lian.ch or call us at: 0041 (0)44 786 99 99

Traditional Chinese medicine is practiced in Switzerland by more than 1000 therapists and doctors, about one third of which offer Chinese herbal medicine in addition to acupuncture and tuina. The TCM therapists are organized through the Swiss professional organization for TCM (tcm-fachverband.ch) and the doctors through the Association of Swiss Physicians for Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (ASA). Since 2015, TCM therapists have been able to take a higher level professional examination from the organization Working World for Alternative Medicine (OdA AM) and receive a federal diploma as a Heilpraktiker (naturopath) specialising in TCM. The practice of TCM phytotherapy is still regulated by each individual canton, but this is expected to change through the introduction of the Swiss diploma.

The costs for Chinese herbal medicine are covered by supplementary health insurance plans. These vary regarding the benefits that they offer and it is worth comparing their services. Various registration agencies provide lists of health insurance companies, the largest are the EMR and ASCA.

LIAN is supervised by the following authorities: Swissmedic is responsible for the import, export, wholesale and manufacturing, and analysis of TCM medicines. The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) and the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV) are responsible for food, food supplements and cosmetics. LIAN has a licence for retail trading and mail order distribution issued by the canton pharmacy agency (Kantonsapothekeramt).

In Switzerland, there is no list of forbidden herbs, but rather a list of the herbs, which can be approved through the simplified procedure (TAS list).

Plants and animals, which are subject to species protection may be imported and exported only with a CITES certificate (evidence that the product comes from cultivation / breeding).