Staff at Baidu cancer death scandal hospital in China disciplined: China Daily

[May 11, 2016]  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese military authorities have disciplined a dozen people associated with a hospital linked to the death of a student who underwent an experimental cancer treatment, the official China Daily reported on Wednesday.

Before his death, student Wei Zexi, 21, criticized the military-run hospital for misleading claims about the effectiveness of the treatment he received and accused China's biggest search engine Baidu Inc of promoting false medical information.

Two leaders from the Second Hospital of the Beijing Armed Police Corps were dismissed, six received demerits, while two officials from authorities which oversaw the hospital were given warnings for poor supervision, China Daily reported, citing a statement from the Beijing Armed Police Corps.

Two individuals who worked with the hospital were transferred to authorities on suspicion of having committed crimes, the statement said, without disclosing their identity or providing any further details.

The Second Hospital of the Beijing Armed Police Corps and the Beijing Armed Police Corps were not immediately available for comment.

Chinese regulators have imposed limits on the number of lucrative healthcare adverts carried by Baidu and the company's CEO has called on employees to put values before profit in the wake of the scandal.

(Reporting by Engen Tham and Wang Jing; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

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