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Social-Media Scandal Costs Top Chinese Scientist $2 Billion
- Yiling sank after the son of a billionaire questioned its drug
- Wealth of founder and his family has dropped below $4 billion
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Wu Yiling is one of China’s highest ranked scientists. With a fortune that neared $6 billion, he was also part of the world’s 500 richest people.
That was until last week, when the son of another Chinese billionaire sparked debate online with a post doubting the efficacy of Wu’s drug used to treat Covid-19. The herbal remedy, Lianhua Qingwen, is one of three traditional treatments the central government has recommended and was sent to households in Shanghai and Hong Kong during the latest omicron wave.