Hong Kong embryo biopsy mix-up: 8 of 9 samples mismatched for 2 couples. Malaysian employee wanted. 14 of 17 services suspended; no embryo swaps or miscarriages.
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Source: OT-Team(G), 南方+
Hong Kong police are investigating a suspected case involving the mix-up of embryo biopsy samples at a reproductive medicine center in Central, with a Malaysian employee believed to be involved and now wanted after leaving Hong Kong for Malaysia.
The incident occurred in early July, when a reproductive medical center mistakenly replaced eight embryo biopsy tissue samples belonging to two couples with samples from other cases during the process of sending them for laboratory testing.
According to information obtained by reporters on August 3, police initially classified the case as “fraud” after preliminary investigations suggested that a Malaysian employee at the center may have made an error while collecting the samples and later attempted to conceal the mistake by providing false information.
The investigation has focused on a Malaysian employee who worked at the Hope Fertility Center in Hong Kong. The employee was responsible for extracting biopsy samples from embryos and sending them to the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Center at Prince of Wales Hospital of The Chinese University of Hong Kong for testing.
Police suspect that the employee made an operational mistake while collecting the samples and later tried to cover up the error. Officers questioned the employee and recorded a caution statement in late July. The employee left Hong Kong for Malaysia the following day and later resigned from the company.
After gathering further evidence, police confirmed that the employee was linked to the case and have issued a wanted notice. Authorities also said they believe the incident is unrelated to the illegal sale of human embryos.
The incident involved two couples who were preparing to undergo assisted reproductive procedures. According to the Hong Kong Council on Human Reproductive Technology, an error occurred when the center submitted embryo biopsy tissue samples for laboratory analysis.
DNA testing by the laboratory found that, in one case, six out of seven submitted embryo samples did not belong to the couple involved. In the other case, both submitted samples were found not to belong to the couple. In total, eight out of nine samples involved in the two cases were mismatched.
Following a comprehensive review, authorities confirmed that the actual embryos stored at the center had not been switched or mixed up. There is currently no evidence showing that any embryos were implanted into the wrong patients, that any fetuses developed abnormalities as a result, or that any miscarriages occurred due to the incident.
After the incident was reported, the Hong Kong Council on Human Reproductive Technology suspended 14 of the center’s 17 licensed treatment services. Only three services related to the storage of gametes or embryos remain available while investigations by the council and police continue.
A Hong Kong government health official previously described the embryo biopsy sample mix-up as an unusual incident and said the government attaches great importance to the matter. The Health Bureau has also contacted other assisted reproductive service providers across Hong Kong, reminding them to strictly follow established procedures to prevent similar incidents.
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