Hong Kong arrests clinic staff over fake cancer vaccine scam

Hong Kong authorities have arrested a man and woman from a clinic on suspicion of selling a laboratory reagent as a bogus vaccine against more than 20 types of cancer.

The arrests followed a joint operation by the Department of Health and police, during which investigators raided 13 premises linked to the company, said Frank Chan Ling-fung, an assistant director of health who oversees drug matters.

Chan said there had been no reports of illness among people who had received the “WT1 cancer vaccine”.

While WT1 refers to a legitimate protein target being studied in cancer research, the case involved patients allegedly being injected with a German laboratory chemical containing the protein that is only for research purposes.

The chemical is not registered as a medicine anywhere in the world.

Authorities seized more than 50 unregistered injections, most of them vitamin-type health products. The injections were classified as Part I poisons under local law.

The clinic had previously come under official scrutiny after media reports exposed its alleged illegal practices.