Chinese Woman Who Learned Acupuncture Online Gets 18 Months Jail After Patient Dies

A woman in southeastern China, who learned acupuncture through online videos, caused a man's death after her treatment led to heart failure.

In June last year, a man named Li felt unwell and sought help from Wang, a woman in his village in Baoying County, Yangzhou, Jiangsu province.

Wang had a reputation in the village for her perceived acupuncture skills, and Li paid her 500 yuan (US$70) for the treatment.

During the final session, Li experienced extreme discomfort. Despite Wang's attempts to get him up and walking around, he collapsed and died, according to Zhu Yuting, an assistant prosecutor in the First Prosecution Department of the People's Procuratorate of Baoying County, who spoke to Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation.

"While he was walking, his face suddenly turned black, his legs weakened, and he collapsed on the floor."

Li was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.

Investigations revealed that Wang had no formal acupuncture training. She had learned her skills entirely through self-study by watching online videos and gained "clinical experience" by practising on herself and her husband.

A forensic report revealed that Li died from acute heart failure triggered by the acupuncture treatment, exacerbated by his pre-existing condition.

Since Li had coronary heart disease, Wang's acupuncture treatment that induced his condition was considered a secondary factor in his death.

Wang was accused of illegal medical practice for setting up a private clinic at home without a legal license, leading to serious consequences.

Taking into account that she had compensated the victim's family and obtained their understanding, the court ultimately sentenced her to 18 months in prison with two years' probation and a fine.

Acupuncture is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and involves inserting very thin needles into the skin at strategic points along the body's meridians or energy channels. It is mainly used to treat pain and "balance the flow of energy," known as chi, throughout the body.

There is a potential for heart damage if an incorrect acupoint near the organ is stimulated or the technique is improperly applied, such as inserting needles too deeply or on a patient with severe cardiovascular disease.

The case has shocked mainland social media.

"How dare she practice acupuncture without a doctor's license? One dares to perform acupuncture, and the other dares to let her do it. Terrifying," one person commented.

"Her husband must truly love her to let her practice on him," said another.

"She killed him. If everyone could learn to treat patients after a few months of self-study, who would bother with exams and formal education?" added a third.