Redress, Re‑penalisation and the (Un)Cancer‑cure Conspiracy
After a moment‑of‑clarity in Singapore’s courts, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner has gotten a fresh smack‑down from the medical board. Mr Chua Beng Chye, who in 2014 tried to convince a breast‑ and lung‑cancer patient to “hold off” surgery and trade it for a 50‑capsule TCM regimen, now faces a 3‑year suspension and a $10,000 fine that was re‑imposed by a newly‑formed investigation committee.
What went wrong?
- Wrongly diagnosing cancer. Mr Chua told the patient it was uncertain whether her lung tumour was malignant.
- Betting on slow tumour growth. He claimed the breast tumour would become sluggish, a notion that medical experts see as downright bogus.
- False “safety” of postponement. He suggested that delaying surgery could lead to faster spread of cancer cells—information that’s a clear case of misinformation.
And equal as no remorse, Mr Chua didn’t apologize or even grasp the danger he was creating. The board said his recommendation “breached the duty of care” and exceeded his true competence.
Why the Board re‑issued the penalty
The first court ruling had voided the suspension on the grounds that the disciplinary hearing was unfair. However, a fresh inquiry—mandated by the High Court—scrutinised Mr Chua’s actions in detail and concluded that his treat‑remedy was not only unscientific but also potentially harmful. The board’s final verdict is that the medicine called for was “not an appropriate and generally accepted method of TCM treatment” and that the doctor failed to do a proper assessment.
The timeline – from TCM hype to surgery
- Nov 3, 2014. The patient, a 66‑year‑old woman with both breast and lung cancer, meets Mr Chua for the last time before her operation. He gives her three options:
- Surgery with Western medicine.
- Surgery backed by TCM.
- Delay surgery for three months and take TCM.
- She pays over $6,000 for the TCM programme and does not go to the operating room.
- Her son discovers the scheme and confronts the doctor the next day.
- The patient finally undergoes surgery on Nov 8, 2014.
The mother’s son was furious that Mr Chua had convinced his mother the single drink of TCM could cure her cancer. They sued, and the High Court set the bar for fair hearings.
Bottom line: TCM is not a silver bullet for cancer
Even though the doctor tried to offer a “natural” cure, the medical board’s decision stands as a reminder that a treatment must be safe, evidence‑based and clinically sound. If you think your next crisis is “just a quick herbal fix”, hang tight—the courts will make sure you’re not left with a sticky situation involving a hop‑scotch delay in surgery.
