8/14/2019 Study Guide Worksheet 12 Dangling Modifiers
Answers
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CC2040 Engl ish for Academic Studies (Heal th Care) Study
Guide
HK residents among worst abusers
1The United Nations has highlighted Hong Kong as one of the
places where the abuse of appetite
suppressants for slimming purposes is most prevalent.
2Producing serious side effects like pulmonary hypertension and
heart valve damage, anorectics,
substances that suppress* the appetite, can only be prescribed
by doctors.3Phentermine is the most
common.
4Released by the UN's International Narcotics Control Board in
March, a report ranked Hong Kong sixth
in consumption of anorectics, after Brazil, Argentina, South
Korea, the United States and Singapore.
5According to the report, anorectics are useful in the treatment
of life-threatening obesity or attention-
deficit disorder.6But prescribing them indiscriminately, doctors
are now using anorectics to feed the
slimming obsession that affects some societies.
7To reverse this trend, local authorities must exercise
effective intervention.
8Hong Kong Medical Association council member, Tse Hung-hing,
said the association had known for
more than a decade that some doctors casually prescribed
slimming drugs to patients.9Although
acknowledging that the Medical Councils code of practice did not
specify how doctors should prescribe
slimming drugs, he said that doctors could still be found guilty
of professional misconduct if theyprescribed dangerous slimming
drugs.
10
I think the code of practice and the present guidelines are
strong enough to regulate the profession, butthe problem is that no
patient makes a complaint against the doctors to the Medical
Council, said Dr Tse.
11
After receiving a complaint, the Council can start an
investigation.12
However, a patient or a victim
has to file a complaint in the first place.
13In his opinion, doctors should use their professional judgment
to assess whether a patient should be
prescribed slimming drugs.
LILIAN GOH
Freely adapted from South China Morning Post
