Three charged with manslaughter over Hong Kong beauty clinic death
PUBLISHED : Friday, 06 February, 2015, 2:03pm
UPDATED : Saturday, 07 February, 2015, 1:19am
Julie Chu [email protected]
A DR beauty centre branch in Causeway Bay. Photo: Sam Tsang
Two doctors and a technician who allegedly gave a client at a beauty clinic an experimental therapy used on cancer patients appeared in court yesterday charged with her manslaughter.
Dr Stephen Chow Heung-wing, 60, Dr Mak Wan-ling, 33, and Chan Kwun-chung, 30, each face one count of manslaughter.
The defendants are accused of a breach of duty amounting to "gross negligence" and such negligence was "a substantial cause of the death of 46-year-old Chan Yuen-lam".
According to court documents, Chow was the owner of the DR Group beauty treatment centre, while Mak was responsible for administering the "CIK/AI therapy" to Chan Yuen-lam at DR Esthetic Centre, part of the DR Group, in Causeway Bay.
Chan Kwun-chung, of Asia Pacific Stem Cell Science Limited, allegedly prepared the therapy product for Chan Yuen-lam, who died on October 10, 2012.
Court documents said the therapy was based on an experimental process used for treating cancer patients which involved "the extraction, manipulation in a laboratory and reintroduction of blood taken from Chan Yuen-lam".
Chow was accused of failing to ensure a qualified person prepared the product.
He also failed to maintain a properly documented protocol with the laboratory to make sure that viral and bacteria testing would be carried out to ensure the product would be free of contamination.
The defendants are also alleged to have failed to make sure that Chan Yuen-lam was fully informed of the risks involved.
Magistrate Bina Chainrai adjourned the case until March 11.
She granted Chow bail on payment of HK$50,000, while HK$20,000 was demanded on behalf of the Mak and Chan.
The defendants did not enter a plea.
Additional reporting by Clifford Lo
