In early July, a fertility medical center in Central, Hong Kong made a mistake in sending artificial embryo biopsy tissue samples for laboratory testing. A total of 8 embryo biopsy tissue samples belonging to two couples were replaced by other samples.
According to Guangzhou Daily reporters on the 3rd, the police are treating the case as a fraud and have issued a wanted notice for a Malaysian employee suspected to be involved in the case.
It is understood that after investigation, the police identified a Malaysian employee responsible for collecting the samples, suspecting that the mistake occurred during the sampling process and that the employee tried to conceal the mistake with lies. The case is not related to embryo trafficking. After giving a warning statement to the police at the end of last month, the suspect left Hong Kong the next day and subsequently resigned from their employer from abroad. Because the suspect is suspected of concealing a serious medical error through fraudulent means, the police have classified the incident as a fraud case and handed it over to the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau for follow-up. The employee is currently wanted by police.
According to Southern Daily, the incident involved two couples preparing to undergo assisted reproductive procedures. According to the Hong Kong Council on Human Reproductive Technology, the center made a mistake when sending the embryo biopsy tissue samples for laboratory testing. Laboratory DNA comparison showed that, in one case, 6 out of 7 submitted embryo samples did not belong to the case’s parents; in the other case, both of the 2 submitted samples did not belong to the case’s parents. In total, 8 out of 9 samples were mismatched.
Comprehensive reviews and tests have confirmed that the actual embryos stored at the institution were not swapped or mixed up, and currently there is no evidence of direct adverse outcomes such as incorrect embryo implantation, fetal developmental abnormalities, or miscarriage. After the incident, the authority suspended 14 out of 17 treatment services offered by the center, retaining only three services related to the storage of gametes or embryos, until the authority and police complete their investigations.
Lo Chung-mau, Secretary for Health of the Hong Kong SAR Government, earlier emphasized at a press conference that the mix-up of embryo biopsy tissue samples is unusual. The SAR government takes the matter very seriously and has sent notices to all other assisted reproductive service providers in Hong Kong, reminding them to strictly comply with all relevant procedures.