The prosecution has requested a prison sentence of between 1½ and two years for a doctor convicted of a negligent act that resulted in the death of a patient during an aesthetic treatment in 2019.
Medical Negligence and Fatal Outcome
Dr. Chan Bingyi, 37, was convicted in January by Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun. The court heard that on March 8, 2019, Chan intravenously administered ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to 31-year-old property agent Lau Li Ting.
The treatment took place at the Revival Medical & Aesthetics Centre, located in the Esplanade Xchange shopping mall on Bras Basah Road. According to the prosecution, the “dangerous substance” was administered at too high a concentration and too quickly.
Ms. Lau, who had no underlying medical conditions, developed EDTA toxicity. This led to cardiac arrest and she passed away at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) five days later, on March 13, 2019.
The Conflict Over Professional Responsibility
During proceedings on April 21, Deputy Public Prosecutor Thaddeus Tan noted that whereas Ms. Lau had requested the “chelation” treatment to extract metallic ions from her body, the responsibility remained with the clinician.
The prosecution argued that Chan knew EDTA could cause complications and stated that a doctor is “not a common vendor where the customer was always right.” They further asserted that Chan showed a disregard for the patient’s safety.
Conversely, defence lawyer Adrian Wee of Lighthouse Law urged the court to consider a shorter sentence of six to eight months. He argued that Chan acted without malice and had performed over a hundred similar therapies without incident.
Timeline of the Incident
Chan told the Ministry of Health (MOH) that the treatment followed a 15-minute consultation. He described pumping 12.5cc of sodium bicarbonate and 12.5cc of disodium EDTA into a saline bag.
About five minutes into the process, Ms. Lau stopped responding and suffered a seizure. Chan testified that he placed her in a safe position, switched off the drips, and called for an ambulance after the seizure “self-aborted.”
When the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived at the clinic, they found that Ms. Lau was not breathing and had no detectable pulse. She remained in critical condition upon arrival at SGH’s Department of Emergency Medicine.
Next Steps in Legal Proceedings
The court has scheduled the sentencing for May 14. Depending on the judge’s decision, Dr. Chan could face the higher term requested by the prosecution or the lower term suggested by the defence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EDTA and when should it be used?
EDTA is a substance used for chelation to bind to metallic ions and extract them from the body. It should only be used for specific indications, such as elevated calcium levels or heavy metal poisoning, and must be administered by trained clinicians.
What caused the death of Ms. Lau Li Ting?
Ms. Lau died of EDTA toxicity, which led to cardiac arrest. The prosecution stated this occurred since the substance was administered at too high a concentration and too quickly.
What are the proposed sentences for Dr. Chan Bingyi?
The prosecution has called for between 1½ and two years’ jail, while the defence has urged the court to sentence him to between six and eight months’ jail.
Should the legal standard for “patient request” ever mitigate professional negligence in aesthetic medicine?
