Two Chinese men detained in Matsu for alleged unlicensed medical practice

CNA Lianjiang County, May 26. A Chinese national surnamed Huang recently traveled from Fujian, China, to Matsu on a tourist visa. Yesterday, he and a friend, also surnamed Huang, were suspected of performing medical acts such as pulse diagnosis and selling counterfeit drugs in Nangan and Beigan. The Beigan Police Station of the Lianjiang County Police Bureau brought the two in for questioning today. A witness, surnamed Chen, told CNA reporters today that the two men were posing as traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Nangan Township yesterday, asking residents if they needed pulse diagnosis or medical consultations. An elderly neighbor believed them and spent at least 3,000 NTD on medicine, only to realize they had been scammed after receiving the product, and reported it to the police. This morning, the two were still selling at the same location, and Chen chased them away. The Lianjiang County Police Bureau and the Health Bureau, based on reports and community intelligence, tracked the men. This afternoon, after confirming they had taken a boat from Nangan to Beigan, the Beigan Police Station detained them for questioning. It is understood that the two men entered Matsu via the 'Mini-Three-Links' ferry service on tourist visas. Huang used a business card identifying him as 'Dr. Huang Wenliang of the Shantou City Herbal Medicine Research Institute in Guangdong Province' to solicit patients and sell unknown drugs labeled 'Qingcao Tongxuedan.' Several residents have been scammed out of thousands of dollars. Chen Mei-jin, Director of the Lianjiang County Health Bureau, told CNA today that performing medical acts without a valid license violates Article 28 of the Physicians Act, which carries a penalty of six months to five years in prison and a fine of 200,000 to 1.5 million NTD. Chen urged the public to be vigilant against door-to-door drug sales or unsolicited medical advice, and to verify qualifications with the Health Bureau.