Tribunal finds this medical practitioner guilty after his patient's death. What happened?
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As the old adage says, health is wealth.
Aussies, especially seniors, need to keep an eye on their health with regular check-ups.
While alternative medicine also saw a rise in popularity, a tragic case should serve as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of foregoing conventional healthcare consultations.
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Yun Sen Luo was found guilty of professional misconduct after a diabetic woman died under his care.
The Sydney-based practitioner advised the woman to cease all 'Western medicine', which led to her death.
The incident sent shockwaves through the community, particularly among those who balance their health between traditional and modern medical practices.
The patient, referred to as Person A, was a 57-year-old Chinese national visiting her daughter in Australia.
Her daughter, referred to as Person B, was a patient of Yun Sen Luo and sought medication for her psoriasis.
Person A had type 2 diabetes at the time of her visit.
The New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal received several accounts about the woman's experience with Yun Sen Luo.
During Person A's initial consultation on 26 May 2018, Luo failed to gather vital information about her health.
The language barrier also played a factor in her condition, as all communication with Luo was in Mandarin.
Instead of receiving complementary care, Luo instructed her to abandon her prescribed diabetes medication.
As the days passed, Person A's condition worsened, and Person B desperately sought advice from Luo through an online messaging platform called WeChat.
Despite the woman's alarming symptoms—including constant nausea, weakness, dizziness, and eventual collapse—Luo continued to prescribe traditional Chinese remedies such as soups, juices, and fruit without recommending urgent medical attention.
Person A dropped and stopped breathing on 8 June.
Despite the efforts of her family to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the hospital later that afternoon.
The tribunal's decision indicated that Person A's life might have been saved with proper medical care.
Luo's registration was suspended on 27 June 2018.
While he was not guilty of manslaughter in a separate criminal trial, the tribunal's findings of professional misconduct underscore the importance of adhering to the principles of risk minimisation.
He also broke the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia's Code of Conduct.
Yun Sen Luo's case raised critical questions about the integration of traditional and Western medicine and the practitioners' responsibilities toward safe and informed care.
Public health expert Prof Jon Wardle emphasised that while traditional knowledge is a valid form of practice, it should not dismiss established medical science.
General Practitioner Dr Mariam Tokhi urged patients to verify healthcare advice with their GP when consulting traditional medicine practitioners.
This could be a cautionary tale, especially to those exploring alternative medical treatments.
Always communicate with your healthcare providers and ensure that any changes to prescribed medication or treatment plans are done with proper guidance and care.
What are your thoughts on alternative medical practices? We encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences with both traditional and Western medicine in the comments below.
Aussies, especially seniors, need to keep an eye on their health with regular check-ups.
While alternative medicine also saw a rise in popularity, a tragic case should serve as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of foregoing conventional healthcare consultations.
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Yun Sen Luo was found guilty of professional misconduct after a diabetic woman died under his care.
The Sydney-based practitioner advised the woman to cease all 'Western medicine', which led to her death.
The incident sent shockwaves through the community, particularly among those who balance their health between traditional and modern medical practices.
Alternative medicine should go hand-in-hand with science-backed modern medicine. Image Credit: Pexels/Nataliya Vaitkevich
The patient, referred to as Person A, was a 57-year-old Chinese national visiting her daughter in Australia.
Her daughter, referred to as Person B, was a patient of Yun Sen Luo and sought medication for her psoriasis.
Person A had type 2 diabetes at the time of her visit.
The New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal received several accounts about the woman's experience with Yun Sen Luo.
During Person A's initial consultation on 26 May 2018, Luo failed to gather vital information about her health.
The language barrier also played a factor in her condition, as all communication with Luo was in Mandarin.
Instead of receiving complementary care, Luo instructed her to abandon her prescribed diabetes medication.
As the days passed, Person A's condition worsened, and Person B desperately sought advice from Luo through an online messaging platform called WeChat.
Despite the woman's alarming symptoms—including constant nausea, weakness, dizziness, and eventual collapse—Luo continued to prescribe traditional Chinese remedies such as soups, juices, and fruit without recommending urgent medical attention.
Person A dropped and stopped breathing on 8 June.
Despite the efforts of her family to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the hospital later that afternoon.
The tribunal's decision indicated that Person A's life might have been saved with proper medical care.
Luo's registration was suspended on 27 June 2018.
While he was not guilty of manslaughter in a separate criminal trial, the tribunal's findings of professional misconduct underscore the importance of adhering to the principles of risk minimisation.
He also broke the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia's Code of Conduct.
Yun Sen Luo's case raised critical questions about the integration of traditional and Western medicine and the practitioners' responsibilities toward safe and informed care.
Public health expert Prof Jon Wardle emphasised that while traditional knowledge is a valid form of practice, it should not dismiss established medical science.
General Practitioner Dr Mariam Tokhi urged patients to verify healthcare advice with their GP when consulting traditional medicine practitioners.
This could be a cautionary tale, especially to those exploring alternative medical treatments.
Always communicate with your healthcare providers and ensure that any changes to prescribed medication or treatment plans are done with proper guidance and care.
