18 Nov 2013

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) issue a joint statement in response to an article lately posted on a mainland news portal about HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology. The joint statement is as follows:

HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine discovered an article on a mainland news website called “Langfang News” (廊坊新聞網: http://www.lfnews.cn/viewnews-2975853.html ) during a regular media monitoring exercise on May 11, 2013, which may mislead the readers to think that an agency called the Good IVF Limited (香港好好孕醫療有限公司) provides assisted reproduction services in collaboration with HKU, QMH and HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology. An investigation was conducted subsequently and HKU, QMH and HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology all confirmed that they had no relation to this agency.

The article mentions that the Good IVF Limited set up an out-patient clinic to provide treatment for male infertility problems by doctors from the Urology Division of QMH. It alleges to have collaborated with QMH geneticists and the Departments of Medicine to provide genetic tests and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. In addition, the agency is described as one of the founders of the first “Psychological Counseling Centre of Assisted Reproduction” (輔助生育心理輔導中心) and the “Centre for Human Reproduction of The University of Hong Kong” (香港大學人類生殖中心), together with Department of Anatomy, Physiology, Urology and Paediatrics of HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Law and the Department of Social Work and Social Administration. It was depicted that these centres were established for embryos transplantation to assist couples with infertility problems. An inquiry by HKU confirmed that none of the above Centres actually exist. HKU and QMH have not set up any centres with the agency.

The news website also presents information about the “HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology”. This centre was set up jointly by HKU and QMH in 1986, to provide fertility treatments for couples and also contribute to the areas of teaching and research. In the article, the first person pronoun “we” was used very often. This would certainly mislead the public into thinking that HKU and QMH had commercial collaboration with this agency. An investigation proved that the Centre has no connection with the Good IVF Limited.

In addition, we found the information provided in a website related to the Good IVF Limited misleading. In one of the corners of the website, “HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology” was referred to their designated hospital and one article about In Vitro Fertilization mentioned that this agency could refer patients to HKU Medical Faculty. As a matter of fact, HKU and QMH have never had any collaboration with the said agency.

HKU and QMH express concerns over this case. If members of the public suspect they have been deceived, please seek help from the police.

If you wish to verify information about “HKU-QMH Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology”, please visit the Centre’s website: http://www.obsgyn.hku.hk/ivftraditional09/homepage/homepage.htm, or e-mail to hkuivf@hku.hk.

To use the press release photo(s) for any publishing, publicity and related purpose, photo courtesy should be given to “Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong”