Police are investigating if a beauty salon offering cancer treatments was involved in the illegal practice of medicine, Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man says.
Officers arrested 11 women at a beauty centre and health consultancy in Causeway Bay yesterday. They are accused of defrauding seven people of $5 million by offering them treatments for serious medical problems such as cancer and skin diseases.
Dr Ko told reporters today that investigators will examine the evidence to determine if prosecution is warranted.
"Factors to be taken into account include how they present themselves to their clients, whether they pose themselves as medical practitioners or Chinese medicine practitioners and whether they have carried out or conducted any procedures which could be considered as medical treatments, including high-risk and invasive procedures" he said.
Dr Ko added that the Department of Health stringently monitors advertisements on the market involving non-registered personnel posing as healthcare workers.
He urged people to consult registered healthcare workers when they fall ill.
