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Service (to be performed): Conduct survey on the availability of Xuyen Son Giap products in Ha Noi and HCM city
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Location of Service provided: Ha Noi and HCM city
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Duration of Service’s performance: May 2026
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WCS’s person in charge (PIC): Nguyen Viet Anh, Program Officer
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I. Background:
WCS’s initial research, in 2024, has identified an emerging market in health products labeled as containing Xuyen Son Giap - a term referring to processed pangolin scales that have been dried and roasted. This terminology is not widely recognized outside of traditional medicine circles, meaning many Vietnamese consumers may unknowingly purchase products containing pangolin scale ingredients.
A review of major e-commerce platforms revealed 13 different products containing Xuyen Son Giap (an increase of 8 compared to 2024). These products are typically marketed in powder or capsule forms and fall into three broad categories:
- Women’s health support (e.g., reproductive health, postpartum recovery)
- Treatment of fever, detoxification, and liver cooling, often advertised as remedies for skin diseases, allergies, and inflammation.
- General nourishment and vitality enhancement
While many of the advertised products appear to be imported from China and Malaysia and are labeled in multiple languages (including Vietnamese), others are manufactured in Viet Nam. Some of the products are claimed to be registered with the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health of Viet Nam.
To determine the availability of products labeled as containing Xuyên Sơn Giáp ingredients in the actual market, WCS conducted a survey at: (i) Independent pharmacies/drugstores (not including pharmacy chains such as Pharmacity, Long Châu, An Tâm, An Khang, and HK Care); (ii) pharmacies within traditional medicine hospitals; and (iii) establishments specializing in the retail of medicinal materials, herbal medicines, and traditional medicines in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Accordingly, WCS is seeking 08 volunteers in Hanoi and 08 volunteers in Ho Chi Minh City to support the implementation of this survey.
II. Objectives:
To support WCS in collecting field data on the availability of products labeled as containing Xuyen Son Giap ingredients across selected outlets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and systematically record information using the provided data collection forms.
III. Description of work:
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Activities
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Outputs/ deliverables
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Completed by
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Allotted time (# of days)
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Payment schedule
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- Conduct surveys at selected locations.
- Identify and document the presence of products with packaging indicating Xuyen Son Giap ingredients.
- Collect relevant information such as product types, packaging, pricing (if available), and sales practices.
- Record survey data consistently using the provided templates.
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Research data sheet
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May 2026
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Actual day of survey (tentatively 5 days/
volunteer)
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Payment is made when the survey is conducted and the research data is approved by WCS
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Total allotted time (total working days): Actual day of survey (tentatively 5 days for each of 8 volunteers per city (16 volunteers total)
IV. Requirements (selection criteria):
- Students in their third year or higher, or university graduates.
- Have experience in market survey (preferably wildlife products)
- Willing to conduct field survey
- Good communication skills
V. Application procedure:
Interested candidate(s) should submit their applications to vietnamconsulting@wcs.org by 17:00 of April 23, 2026. The application should include:
CVs and letter of interest (in Vietnamese).
Note:
Only shortlisted candidate(s) will be contacted