(ECNS) — Chinese health authorities have revoked the medical licenses of a surgeon and a trainee doctor following confirmed violations of professional ethics, personal conduct, and academic integrity, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) on Thursday.
Xiao Fei, a former thoracic surgeon at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, was expelled from the Communist Party of China, dismissed from his position, and banned from medical practice for at least five years. Dong Xiying, a medical trainee accused of Xiao's extramarital partner, was found guilty of academic fraud, with her academic degrees and medical qualifications revoked.
The incident began when Xiao's wife reported his misconduct in his personal life. Her claims led to widespread online discussion, during which netizens uncovered suspected academic irregularities involving Dong, prompting a formal investigation by the NHC.
According to NHC's investigation, Xiao walked out of an operating room during a thoracoscopic lobectomy in July 2024, after a dispute with a nurse, while the patient was under anesthesia. As the lead surgeon, he violated surgical safety protocols, placing the patient at significant risk. In addition to medical misconduct, Xiao was found to have engaged in inappropriate relationships during his marriage, seriously breaching medical ethics and causing a negative social impact.
In response, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission revoked Xiao's medical license and imposed a five-year ban on his employment in the healthcare sector. The hospital was fined, given a warning, and ordered to rectify management issues.
Dong Xiying, born in 1996, was dispatched to the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in 2023 for standardized residency training. The investigation revealed that she falsified academic transcripts when applying to the "4+4" pilot program at Peking Union Medical College in 2019. Her 2023 doctoral thesis had a plagiarism rate exceeding 20 percent, and several of her academic publications involved improper authorship and duplicate submissions, according to the NHC.
Dong's graduation and degree certificates have been revoked, and her physician qualification and license have been annulled.
The NHC also found systemic flaws in the management of the "4+4" program, including weak admission oversight, insufficient academic supervision, and inadequate political and ethical education. A comprehensive review of the program is underway in coordination with the Ministry of Education.
Further investigations into related individuals and institutions are ongoing. The NHC emphasized that it will pursue accountability and strengthen efforts to improve medical ethics and patient safety nationwide.
(By Evelyn)