SINGAPORE (June 28): Ang Peng Tiam, the executive director and CEO of healthcare company TalkMed Group, has been given an eight-month suspension by the Court of Three Judges on the grounds of professional misconduct.

During the eight-month period, Ang will not be involved in any patient care as a doctor but will continue to lead the group and develop other growth opportunities, says the group in a regulatory filing to the SGX on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, all of Ang’s cases will be handed over to his colleagues including Khoo Kei Siong, the group’s current COO.

The suspension – which is effective from July 25 next month – is in relation to a complaint submitted by the family of Ang’s previous patient, who is now deceased, in 2010. It results from a years-long inquiry conducted by the Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) disciplinary tribunal.

To recap, the patient, then 55, had seen Ang with lung cancer in April 2010 and was told by the oncologist that there was a high chance of the disease responding to treatment. However, he did not offer her the option of surgery as he did not believe it to be viable in her case, and the patient died six months after.

Last year, the SMC fined Ang S$25,000 for two charges which Ang was found guilty for, namely falsely representing the patient her chances of a favourable response to his prescribed therapy, as well as for failing to offer her the option of surgery.

He was cleared of two other charges brought against him in relation to the case.

“We are disappointed with the verdict. Our immediate focus is to ensure that the medical needs of Dr Ang’s patients continue to be well taken care of,” says TalkMed’s non-executive chairman, Chandra Das.

Emphasising that it is “operationally sound and on a firm financial footing”, TalkMed says its board is confident that the suspension will not have a major long-term effect on the group, although the verdict may have a material impact on its earnings.

As at 1.34pm, shares of TalkMed are trading flat at 74 Singapore cents.