New | Baidu scandal: spotlight on China military hospitals’ outsourcing practice after young man’s cancer death
Hospital may have outsourced department where student Wei Zexi sought experimental treatment for his rare cancer, to a private medical group
China’s military and health authorities are investigating a scandal-hit hospital run by the paramilitary police over allegations it outsourced medical care to dubious private organisations.
The announcement on Tuesday came amid a growing outcry over the death of Wei Zexi, a 21-year-old student who died after receiving an experimental cancer treatment known as immunotherapy at the No 2 Hospital of the Beijing Armed Police Corps.
Wei underwent the procedure, which cost his family more than 200,000 yuan (HK$240,000), after using online search engine Baidu to research treatments. The hospital’s details topped the list returned by Baidu, but failed to save Wei and he died last month.
The scandal is the latest to involve institutions paying Baidu to feature their details prominently in search results.
China launches probe into Baidu over paid search listings after student dies following cancer treatment sourced online
Shares in Baidu, traded in the US, slumped almost 8 per cent on the Nasdaq as China’s internet watchdog began investigating its search system.