Values before profits

As Baidu was busy restructuring its results related to health and medical information, CEO Robin Li published an open letter urging employees to put values before profits.

"If we lose the support of users, we lose hold of our values, and Baidu will truly go bankrupt in just 30 days!" wrote the head of the Nasdaq-listed company.

On Sunday, Sougou, one of Baidu's biggest rivals, launched a new search product called "Wise Doctor". The company said the site is free from commercial influence, and major sources of information include the World Health Organization and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ying Jianming, deputy director of the Pathology Department at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' cancer institute and hospital, said health education should be accessible through a range of channels, but especially online.

Take cancer treatment for example. Even the best treatments available can only prolong the life of a patient with terminal cancer by three to four years, but in Wei's case, the hospital claimed its treatment could result in an extra 10 to 20 years, despite his end-stage synovial sarcoma.

"That was obviously untrue," Ying said. He urged the authorities to oversee medical content in cyberspace and other media outlets to prevent fraudulent practices. On the supply side, practices should be strictly regulated according to national rules and regulations, he said.

Wei's case revealed how the military hospital allegedly ignored regulations banning commercial collaboration, provided an unapproved treatment for profit, posted false claims about its treatments and subcontracted services to private healthcare providers.

The Second Hospital of the Beijing Armed Police Corps is no stranger to publicity. Its services have been featured by the State broadcaster, China Central Television, and two years ago, Nanfang Weekend cast doubts about its credibility and immunotherapy program.

Despite the media exposure, "they were still off the government's regulatory radar and continued with business as usual," said Yang Xiaojun, a professor of administrative law at the Chinese Academy of Governance.

Hospitals affiliated with the military are more prone to irregularities because they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the public health authorities, he said. Instead, they are overseen by the health bureaus of the Central Military Commission and the National Armed Police Force. Their rules are more opaque than government regulations, which can result in management loopholes.

Now that military-affiliated medical resources are open to civilians, they should be governed by the general health authorities, led by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Yang said.

Although that would take time, "at least it would allow the military side to improve their management and supervisory capabilities for hospitals and medical procedures."

In March, the Central Military Commission ordered the People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force to end all commercial activities within three years. On Saturday, the PLA and APF selected the first 17 units to be ordered to cease commercial activities, such as property rentals and the provision of medical services.