Ho Chi Minh City clinic fined $5,200, license suspended over drug and advertising violations

The Âu Á General Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City has been fined 123 million Vietnamese dong and had its operating license suspended for 4.5 months due to multiple violations. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health announced the administrative penalties on July 9.

Violations include the illegal storage and sale of medicines outside the clinic's certified business scope. The clinic also failed to implement an internet-connected IT system for drug management as required. Furthermore, Âu Á was cited for advertising services beyond its approved professional scope.

This marks a pattern of misconduct for the clinic, which was first licensed in 2016. Previous violations have included professional misconduct such as "drawing up illnesses to extort money" and operating beyond its authorized scope. In 2020, the clinic faced a heavier penalty of 221 million dong for nine separate violations.

In addition to the Âu Á clinic, the AI K Plus company branch at 3A Nguyễn Văn Thủ was fined 90 million dong and suspended for 18 months for operating without a license. A doctor responsible for technical expertise at the AI K Plus cosmetic clinic was fined 7.5 million dong and had their professional practice license suspended for two months for not being present during operating hours without authorization.