Mother trusted doctor because he was globally recognised, Medical Council trial told

The mother of a boy said to have been improperly diagnosed with heavy metal poisoning had trusted a doctor who made the diagnosis because of his link to an international medical board, regulators heard.

The woman, known in court as Madame A, said she accepted the advice and instruction of Dr Michael Yeung Lok-yin as he was one of five poisoning experts recognised by the International Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology. She was giving evidence yesterday at a hearing of improper diagnosis and treatment charges against Yeung and paediatrician Dr Lillian Ko Yang Yang in the Medical Council.

Madame A said her son, identified as patient X, had convulsions and ran a high fever after a vaccine jab at 15 months old. He once stopped breathing and suffered from a lack of oxygen.

She suspected autism traits later found in the boy were related to mercury, which might have been used in the vaccines.

An education psychologist also confirmed X had a speech delay, a symptom of mercury poisoning. Hence, she looked for a toxicologist in Hong Kong and found Yeung.

In the second of four consultations with Yeung in 2005, treatments with unknown purposes were performed on her son, then a teenager.