A Chinese doctor who claims to have developed a method of slapping various parts of the body to cure illness, will be fined NT$50,000 for violations to the Medical Care Act (醫療法), the Taipei City Government’s Department of Health said yesterday.
The decision was made after the department was instructed by its central-level counterpart to look into Xiao Hongci (蕭宏慈), a non-certified physician who claims his methods have “healing powers.”
Earlier, Department of Health Minister Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) told a Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee meeting at the legislature that Xiao should be fined for violating the act.
Xiao, who recently arrived from China, has held conferences to promote what he refers to as the self-healing method of slapping, pulling and stretching certain parts of the body to get rid of toxicity and cure diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and numerous other illnesses.
“If Xiao tells diabetes patients they don’t have to take their medication or undergo treatment and can be cured simply by slapping themselves, then this is claiming a medical cure and is in violation of the Medical Care Act,” Chiu said.
Chiu said his department had instructed the Taipei City Government’s health department to open an investigation.
He said that Xiao, who is being punished for a first-time offense, could also be referred to the National Immigration Agency, which could revoke his entry permit.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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