Doctor charged in case of woman who died after aesthetic treatment in 2019
The State Courts in Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
SINGAPORE: A doctor was charged on Tuesday (Oct 11) in relation to a case in 2019 where a woman died after receiving an aesthetic treatment at a clinic.
Dr Chan Bingyi, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was given one charge of causing the death of Ms Lau Li Ting by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.
A check of the Ministry of Health's database shows he is still registered as a medical practitioner.
He is accused of administering ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA, to Ms Lau intravenously on Mar 8, 2019 at Revival Medical & Aesthetics Centre in 90 Bras Basah Road.
EDTA is a common ingredient in skincare and cosmetic products. It acts as a chelator or binding agent that suppresses chemical activity.
Dr Chan allegedly administered the acid at too high a concentration and too quickly, when there were no indications for using it on Ms Lau.
According to the charge sheet, Dr Chan's negligent act caused Ms Lau, who was 31 at the time, to develop EDTA toxicity. This in turn led to her cardiac arrest and eventual death.
Reports at the time said that Ms Lau was taken to the hospital after her treatment and was on life support for several days before dying on Mar 13.
If convicted of causing the death of Ms Lau by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, Dr Chan can be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.
He was offered bail of S$5,000 and will return to court next month. Additional charges are expected.
Editor's note: This article has been corrected to remove the reference to Botox in the headline and opening paragraph.
