Medical centres denounced for fake vaccine claims

Medical sector lawmaker David Lam expressed concerns on Wednesday regarding several medical centers being accused of fraudulent activity for promoting a vaccine that claims to prevent multiple cancers. The Department of Health stated that they were investigating the matter, including potential enforcement actions.

In July, the Department of Health became aware that HK Pacific Asia Medical Centre and its affiliated organizations were making claims on social media that they were offering the Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) vaccine. It was noted that the WT1 vaccine is not a registered pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong, and no relevant registration records were found with drug regulatory authorities in mainland China or overseas.

The department emphasized that the treatment claims made by the medical centers were misleading and potentially fraudulent, as they could discourage individuals from seeking appropriate medical treatment. Speaking on an RTHK radio program, Lam urged authorities to remove the advertisements for the vaccine from relevant platforms and conduct investigations into the organizations responsible for making these claims.

Lam emphasized the importance of taking action to protect public health, stating that allowing such advertisements to circulate freely could pose a significant threat to the public. He criticized the unethical behavior of those distributing the vaccine, accusing them of exploiting people's fear of cancer and patients' desperation to lure them into receiving the unverified treatment. Lam stressed the need for the public to seek medical advice before using any new pharmaceutical products.