A CONSULTANT haematologist has been suspended from practice for three months for failing to test a cancer patient for hepatitis-B ahead of chemotherapy.
Such a test is considered standard procedure, but the omission by Dr Toh Keng Kiat, a former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), led to a flare-up of the patient's hepatitis-B.
The patient died in May 2005.
Dr Toh's suspension took effect on Oct 30.
The patient, who had cancer of the lymph nodes, had consulted Dr Toh at his Camden Medical Centre clinic on Feb 3, 2005.
Without first testing for hepatitis-B, Dr Toh put the patient on chemotherapy between Feb 11 and April 26 that year, said a statement from the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) on Monday.
