Don’t sell experimental cancer treatment to crazy, barbaric or stubborn patients, High Court hears
Court is told about internal memos for staff at beauty clinic involved in death of woman and a letter of appreciation from the deceased over earlier treatment
Staff from a Hong Kong beauty clinic at the centre of a manslaughter trial were told specifically not to sell an experimental cancer treatment to customers who were “crazy, barbaric or stubborn” but only to loyal ones, a court heard on Friday.
Testifying in the High Court, former beauty consultant Leung Shuk-yi said she believed it was beauty chain DR Group’s attempt to avoid trouble arising from its Cytokine inducted killer cell (CIK) treatment, which was marketed as a health care product. Prosecutors said it caused Chan Wai-lam’s death in 2012.
“They are afraid complaints will be lodged,” said the ex-employee, who left the company in 2012.
For the first time on Friday, the court also heard about a letter of appreciation from Chan – who claimed to often suffer from flu – to thank the group for her “significantly” improved condition following CIK treatment in May 2012.
Chan died of a blood infection on October 10 that year, a week after she underwent another round of CIK therapy, which required blood to be taken, processed and reintroduced to her.
Prosecutors said there was no point for Chan to receive an “unproven” cancer treatment for a condition she did not have.
