ExplainerWhat to know about prepaid jab packages in Hong Kong amid clinic closure fears

The suspected abrupt closure of a medical clinic chain popular for children vaccinations in Hong Kong has left hundreds of customers, including parents, seeking refunds for prepaid packages and scrambling to book jabs elsewhere. The Post looks into why such services at private clinics are popular in the city and how consumers can protect their rights. 1. What is the attraction of prepaid vaccination packages? Maternal and child health centres under the Department of Health offer local children free vaccines, based on recommendations of the Centre for Health Protection’s scientific committee on vaccine preventable diseases. The jabs, such as ones against hepatitis B, pneumococcal infection, and a four-in-one vaccine against whooping cough, polio, diphtheria and tetanus, provide protection against major infectious diseases. An infant will usually receive 14 doses of different vaccines by the time he or she is 18 months old under the service. But some private clinics offer vaccines against more diseases using a single jab, meaning children undergo fewer shots. They might also provide vaccines that are currently not offered at public clinics. For example, the Alliance Medical Group, the chain in question, offers packages that include six-in-one vaccines, which protect against Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B, alongside the four other infections covered by the four-in-one jab offered by public clinics. Some clinics also offer a five-in-one vaccine, which have all those protections from the six-in-one jabs except hepatitis B. 2. How much do the packages cost? The price can range from a few thousand Hong Kong dollars to tens of thousands. One Alliance Medical Group package covers six-in-one vaccines and rotavirus inoculations not offered at public clinics at a price of HK$4,700 (US$605). While children who have the shots still need to visit public clinics for six other doses of vaccines, they can receive two fewer jabs overall while still obtaining the same level of protection as children who visit the public clinics only. Another package that costs as much as HK$12,000 covers 14 jabs, with some not offered at public clinics, such as two doses of oral rotavirus vaccine. 3. What other options do parents have? Dr Edmund Lam Wing-wo said vaccines commonly used for children inoculations were usually offered by family doctors and paediatricians at private practices, as well as at private hospitals. “The stocks should be sufficient and they can usually be delivered quickly after ordering,” he said. “There is no need to panic.” Lam said two major pharmaceutical firms supplied the five-in-one and six-in-one vaccines in Hong Kong. While those usually required more than one dose, the two brands could be used interchangeably as the ingredients were the same, although doctors would usually try to match the same brand for the second or the third dose of the same vaccine, he added. He said doctors could usually identify which brands were used based on information on vaccination records. 4. Will delayed vaccination affect a child’s health? Children scheduled for vaccination appointments at Alliance Medical Group clinics later this week might have to push back the schedule a little should parents manage to obtain bookings elsewhere. But Lam said it would not be a significant issue if the vaccination was carried out one to two weeks later than scheduled. 5. What about refunds? Many customers paid thousands of dollars in advance for vaccination packages, and some had not received any jabs before the suspected closure of the chain. One concern was whether they could seek a refund for the unused services, such as by disputing the transaction if the payment was made using a credit card. But experts told the Post the chance for consumers to obtain refunds was very slim. Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon said consumers would usually not be given priority for compensation if a company was winding up. “The current legislation does not offer much protection on prepaid consumptions,” she said. “Is it that easy to seek a refund for the unused jabs in a paid transaction? Generally speaking, it is difficult.” Kong said it would not be possible to ask banks or credit card companies to stop a completed transaction or ask the medical chain to return money that had already been paid. Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, said a refund would be unlikely if consumers authorised the credit card transaction. He said that if the business had already drawn money from credit card companies or banks and the transaction was authorised by the card user, disputes would not be entertained. “One is responsible to make sure a business is legitimate before paying,” he said. He said the money could only be put on hold by credit card companies if a transaction was made very recently and it was confirmed to be a scam. Lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said affected customers could seek help from the Consumer Council, which could represent affected victims in litigation through its Consumer Legal Action Fund, and compensation might be given to consumers.

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Post looks at why parents are turning to private clinics for inoculating their children and paying hefty sums for jab packages

1. What is the attraction of prepaid vaccination packages?

The Post looks at why parents are turning to private clinics for inoculating their children and paying hefty sums for jab packages