$1m spent on 'useless cancer cure'

A desperate relative's attempt to save her dying cancer-stricken nephew by buying up to $1 million worth of Chinese medicine was in vain as the products turned out to be 'useless', according to a writ.

Ma Sum-foon, 71, has filed a High Court writ seeking a refund of more than $880,000 from the Hong Kong Vegetarian Benevolent Fund Limited and the man in charge of the company, Shek Yuen-chu.

She claims the company - which is also known as the 'Green Cross Anti-Cancer Fund' and sells vegetarian, health food and 'anti-cancer' products - overcharged her 200 times more than the market price on a capsule-form Chinese medicine called reishi.

Ms Ma says in the writ that she approached the company in October 1998 as her nephew, Kirk Ma Chi-keung, was in the last stages of intestinal cancer.

She alleges Mr Shek, who entertained her on a few occasions, claimed to be a medical doctor and induced her to buy various goods that he claimed to be effective in curing cancer.

The writ says Ms Ma paid $409,612 for boxes of Chinese medicine as well as a machine, and she was also persuaded to spend an extra $550,000 on wild reishi and the plant huang jing.

The writ states the defendants only supplied Ms Ma with 240 capsules of reishi, each of which was worth less than $10 at the market price instead of the $2,000 charged. Ms Ma also claims the machine broke down a few days after it was first used.

She claims the two defendants breached the contract by refusing to refund her money as the products she bought turned out to be 'useless or unsuitable for her nephew'.

The writ states her nephew consumed some of the products but died on November 6 last year.

Ms Ma is seeking a refund of $883,612 from the two defendants plus costs.