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- Jan 18, 2010
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A TR Emeritus (TRE) reader’s family member was seeking treatment at NUH when a referral was made to see a certain Prof Jiade Jay Lu of NUH.
To find out more about Prof Lu’s professional background, the TRE reader did a google search and was shocked to find out that Prof Lu actually had his medical practising licence revoked or questioned in several states in the U.S. since 2003.
The reader then immediately sent an email to NUS, NUH, SMC and MOH, copied to TRE. In the letter, the reader asked if NUH and the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) knew about this and why had NUH hired him and why had the SMC granted him a licence to practise in Singapore, given his background.
The reader said, “Even more disturbing, Prof Jiade Lu is now in senior leadership position at NUH (Medical Board, Vice Chairman for Research), National Cancer Institute Singapore (Head and Senior Consultant, Radiation-Oncology) and NUS (teaching staff).”
Given his bad record and that he is a NUS teaching staff, the reader said she is deeply concerned of the kind of teaching/training our future doctors are receiving at NUH/NUS.
She asked NUH/NUS, “I would like to enquire if a background check is done on prospective foreign drs? (I only spent about 5 mins to google this).”
She wondered “how could someone with such a record” rise to attain senior leadership positions in our university hospital?
She said, “I am concern what values are imparted to our young training doctors, given that NUH/NUS is a major teaching hospital in Singapore.”
“I am very concern about the checks and balances for employment at NUH. Are independent checks being done on prospective foreign drs? A simple google search revealed so much detail about Prof Lu. I consider my family lucky as I managed to find this out before seeing Prof Lu. I have since decided to go to another hospital.”
She explained why she decided to write the letter.
She said, “I have thought hard and long about writing in on this issue. But for the sake of all the future patients who seek treatment at NUH, patients’ safety remains of paramount importance.”
After several email correspondences between the reader and the various govt entities as well as enquiries from TRE, NUH then decided to hold a media conference yesterday (7 Sep) and release a public statement today (8 Sep).
In the statement, NUH confirmed that Prof Lu’s practicing certificate had been revoked in the U.S. but NUH decided to continue to back him.
NUH said, “The National University Hospital (NUH) and the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) have looked into claims that a doctor on the staff of NCIS was hired to work here even though his practicing certificate had been revoked in the United States.”
NUH continued, “Dr Lu has informed us that he very much regretted his 1999 involvement in the online prescription of drugs, which he puts down to a lapse of judgement. It is an error for which he has already been penalized by the US medical authorities where these offences occurred.”
“In the 11 years that Dr Jay Lu has been on the medical staff of the NUH and subsequently, the NCIS, he has served with diligence and enthusiasm. He is a physician who has earned the gratitude of his patients and the respect of his colleagues and students.”
Praising Prof Lu’s talent, NUH added, “We took on board a talented and enthusiastic physician who, when he came to us, was not encumbered by legal challenges brought on by health regulatory bodies. Dr Lu has shared a full and thorough account of what transpired.”
According to this Final Order document [Link] from the Florida’s Board of Medicine, which ordered the revocation of Prof Lu’s licence in the State of Florida, it revealed the following interesting facts:
The Florida’s Board of Medicine found Dr Lu failed to practice medicine with that level of care, skill and treatment which is recognized by a reasonably prudent similar physician as being acceptable under similar conditions and circumstances:
Dispensing a legend drug without performing an examination of the patient;
Dispensing a legend drug without making a diagnosis;
Dispensing a legend drug without establishing a treatment plan.
The Board also found that Dr Lu inappropriately dispensed Viagra and failed to keep medical records of patients:
Failing to document an examination of the patient before prescribing a legend drug;
Failing to document a diagnosis before prescribing a legend drug;
Failing to document a treatment plan before prescribing a legend drug.
The original website, www.us-care.com, does not appear to be around anymore but an old advertisement of the site tracing back to 1999 can still be found [Link]:
Viagra was released into the market in 1998 and it became a sensational hit with consumers. However, being a legend drug, it requires a prescription from a trained medical doctor before it can be purchased by anyone.
One wonders what had contributed to Dr Lu’s “lapse of judgement”, Viagra anyone?
He may be your next MP
