Taiwan doctor probed for allegedly taking patients' blood

Oct 31, 2009, 14:52 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan health authorities are investigating a doctor's drawing 13 patients' blood for his own research, Taiwan television reported Saturday.

If Dr Ho Wei-ming is found guilty of unethical medical practice, he could lose his doctor's license, cable TV channel ETTV reported.

The incidents occurred between 1998-2005 when Ho was an anesthetist at the Veterans General General Hospital in Taichung, central Taiwan.

According to ETTV, Ho drew blood from 13 patients - who were receiving heart surgery at the hospital - in order to do research for his thesis which was needed for his promotion to the rank of professor at the teaching hospital.

ETTV did not say how much blood Ho drew from each patient, but said the blood was drawn from the patients' necks.

'Drawing blood from the patients could increase their risk of infection. Under regulations, the heaviest penalty is evoking Ho's license,' it said.

After the incident was exposed, Ho was reprimanded by the hospital. He resign and went to work as an anesthetist at the Tzuchi Buddhist Hospital in Taichung.

In an interview with ETTV, Ho insisted on his innocence, saying he obtained the patients' oral permission for drawing their blood.