Hong Kong doctor acquitted 15 years after complaint as watchdog drops case
Medical Council secretary decides not to offer evidence against Dr Yiu Man-kit, who faced three disciplinary charges over laser eye surgery performed in 2010
A Hong Kong ophthalmologist has been cleared of professional misconduct after the city’s medical watchdog offered no evidence against him, 15 years after the initial complaint was lodged over his handling of laser eye surgery.
In response to the ruling, the Health Bureau said it had ordered the watchdog to explain the “offer-no-evidence” decision by the inquiry panel’s legal officer, to ease public concerns.
Three disciplinary charges were filed against Yiu after patient Chan Man-chi submitted a complaint to the council in 2011 over Lasik surgery and a procedure called keratectomy involving the cornea in her right eye performed the year before.
Yiu allegedly failed to explain possible risks of recurrent corneal erosion before the Lasik surgery, give her proper and timely advice on post-surgery treatment options or adequately perform the keratectomy.
But at the start of the formal inquiry on Wednesday, legal officer David Yim Ho-ching, representing the council secretary, informed the panel that the prosecution would not offer evidence against the doctor.