An injection made from the bile of bears has been recommended as a suggested treatment for COVID-19 by China's National Health Commission. This has come as unwelcome news for wildlife experts.

The name of the injection is Tan Re Qing. National Geographic says that the promotion of the injection as cure/treatment for the novel coronavirus flies in the face of China's declared intention to ban wild-life trade in the country.

"Less than a month after taking steps to permanently ban the trade and consumption of live wild animals for food, the Chinese government has recommended using Tan Re Qing, an injection containing bear bile, to treat severe and critical COVID-19 cases," National Geographic states in a report.

The injection has something to do with Chinese traditional medicine systems. "Secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile from various species of bears has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It contains high levels of ursodeoxycholic acid, also known as ursodiol, which is clinically proven to help dissolve gallstones and treat liver disease. Ursodeoxycholic acid has been available as a synthetic drug worldwide for decades," the report says.

On its part, the World Health Organization is not thrilled.