Court drops manslaughter charges against doctors
The Eastern Court on Tuesday dismissed manslaughter charges against two doctors, over a patient who suffered severe liver failure after being treated by the pair.  The two doctors, Lam Chi-kwan and Chan Siu-kim, had allegedly failed to prescribe chronic kidney patient Tang Kwai-sze – a hepatitis B carrier – an antiviral drug to counteract the side effects of high-dosage steroids, triggering acute liver failure. Tang underwent two liver transplants before succumbing in 2017.  Lam and Chan were subsequently charged with manslaughter over the alleged blunder.  But at a hearing on Tuesday, the Eastern Magistracy approved an application from the prosecution to dismiss the manslaughter charges against the pair after considering the Department of Justice’s Prosecution Code.  In response to the court decision, United Christian Hospital expressed its condolences to Tang's family, and said it is improving its medicine prescription procedures and stepping up training for medical workers. It added that it will follow up with the two doctors according to personnel procedures. The Coroner's Court is due to conduct an inquiry into Tang's death.