In a shocking incident in southwestern China’s Sichuan province, an anesthesiologist, identified only by his surname Qi, has been implicated in a tragic case involving his partner, Chen, a pharmaceutical sales representative. according to South China Morning PostHe caused the death of his girlfriend by attempting to treat her insomnia with repeated anesthetic injections. He administered anesthesia more than 20 times in six hours, which led to his death. The incident has sparked widespread outrage online in China, with many criticizing the doctor’s actions despite claims of trying to help.
Notably, the two met through an online dating platform in the summer of 2022. Qiu, who worked at a hospital in Jinjiang County, Leshan, allegedly gave Chen propofol, a powerful anesthetic, in hotel rooms on several occasions between September 2023 and March. 2024. Chen requested the medication to relieve his insomnia.
On March 6, Qiu gave Chen approximately 1,300 mg of propofol through her ankle over six hours from 11 pm to 5 am. They provided 20+ doses, followed by an additional 100 mg for later use. Upon returning to the hotel, Qu learned that Chen had died. A medical examination confirmed that the cause of his death was acute propofol intoxication.
Qi immediately reported the incident to the authorities, confessed to his actions and later provided financial compensation of 400,000 yuan (US$55,000) to Chen’s relatives, who forgave him.
A Shanghai-based representative of a major propofol manufacturer told The Post that propofol is not intended to treat insomnia and that the dose used in this case was well above the safe limit.
“Propofol is a short-acting general anesthetic used primarily to induce and maintain general anesthesia and sedation. Typically, the clinical dose for anesthesia induction is 100 mg per kilogram of body weight For maintenance anesthesia the dosage is usually 4-12 mg per kilogram. “Rates between 1.5-4.5 milligrams per kilogram, adjusted according to the procedure and the age of the patient,” the staff explained.
He further added, “An injection dose of 1,300 mg is significantly higher than the standard treatment protocol. Deaths from overuse of anesthetics like this are not uncommon. Moreover, drug abuse, in addition to safety issues, can lead to addiction.” “
On November 1, the People’s Court of Renshaw County in Sichuan Province issued a verdict, sentencing anesthesiologist Qi to two and a half years in prison for negligent homicide.
The court took into account mitigating factors, including Qiu’s voluntary surrender to authorities, his full confession, financial compensation to the victim’s family, and the family’s apology. These factors contributed to the relatively lenient sentence.
