Family of dead man in court in search of truth

Representatives from a hospital that treats people with mental disabilities have appeared in court to answer questions from the family of a dead man who say they should have been consulted before he was given a controversial treatment.

The people's court in suburban Changping district heard that Hao Lei, 20, from Shaanxi province, died suddenly because of phenothiazine, an organic compound that occurs in various anti-psychotic and anti-histaminic drugs. He passed away on June 26, two months after leaving his hometown to seek work in the capital.

The medical records from the Red Cross Beijiao Hospital, which is now named the Huayi Hospital, show that doctors prescribed 50 ml of phenothiazine three times a day from June 21 to June 24 and 100 ml three times a day from June 24 to June 26.