Doctor misdiagnoses paediatric cancer to make money off of scared parents

Paediatrician Mira Chowdhury tried to save his private healthcare firm by misdiagnosing children with cancer. In three reported cases, Chowdhury's cancer diagnosis turned out to be false. Furthermore, Chowdhury refused to refer the families for treatment at National Health Service hospitals. He prescribed tests and directed parents to his private healthcare firm. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has concluded that Chowdhury's actions were "financially motivated." The MPTS is yet to decide if Chowdhury will be allowed to continue his practice.

The NHS Forth Valley Paediatrician came under fire when a patient's family approached the General Medical Council (GMC) to report Chowdhury. The patent's mother claims that she had taken her child to Chowdhury with symptoms of dizziness, blindness, fainting, and chronic weight loss.

The patient's mother, referred to as Patient A, recalled that Chowdhury asked the child to leave the room so that he could talk to the parents. Chowdhury apparently told the family that they would be talking about "the C word." He told the family that the child had a tumour in the stomach. Chowdhury denied that he told the parents that their child had cancer and claimed that he told them there was a low possibility the child had a tumour.

When Patient A asked to be referred to an NHS oncologist, Chowdhury told them that was not an option. He scared them by telling them that the NHS hospitals were not equipped to deal with the case and the long line of patients would result in them having to wait for treatment.

Instead, he prescribed £3,245 worth of tests and a trip to London for an MRI scan. Patient A was forced to be treated by A&E doctors when she suddenly fell ill. The A&E doctors did not find any evidence to support Chowdhury's cancer diagnosis. Patient A reported the case to the GMC.

It was also discovered that the Managing Director of the struggling Glasgow healthcare firm, Meras Healthcare, had scared two other patients into getting treated at the private practice.

Chowdhury contradicted the patients' claims and told the MPTS that he had referred them to NHS.

MPTS ruled that Chowdhury acted under "financial pressure" of the failing business. The Daily Mail quoted Tribunal chair James Newton-Price stating that Chowdhury has acted "in order to increase the income or reduce the losses of his business." The fate of Chowdhury's practice is yet to be decided by the Tribunal.