Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Virginia Doctor Charged With Mutilating Women, Performing Hysterectomies Without Patients Consent
The New York Times: Virginia Doctor Performed Hysterectomies Without Consent, Prosecutors Say
The authorities have charged a Virginia obstetrician and gynecologist accused of performing unnecessary hysterectomies and removing one patient’s fallopian tubes without her knowledge. The doctor, Javaid Perwaiz, 69, was arrested on Friday and charged with one count of health care fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters, according to court documents filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. (Diaz, 11/11)
The Washington Post: An OB/GYN Mutilated Women With Unnecessary Hysterectomies, Tube Ties And ‘Cleanouts,’ Feds Say
At Javaid Perwaiz’s gynecology practice in Chesapeake, Va., authorities say excessive surgery has been the norm for years. Women were given hysterectomies they didn’t need or want and underwent surgical procedures to remove growths they didn’t have, according to court documents. When one woman consulted with a fertility doctor after trouble conceiving, authorities said, she learned Perwaiz had burned her fallopian tubes “down to nubs” — without her knowledge. (Mettler, 11/11)
USA Today: Virginia Doctor Accused Of Unneeded Surgeries Jailed On Fraud Charges
A complaint filed in U.S. District Court details Perwaiz’s alleged proclivity for convincing Medicaid recipients to undergo operations they didn’t need, to the point some of them were having the surgery every year. Several patients didn’t even know what procedures were being performed, according to the complaint. (Ortiz, 11/11)
CNN: A Doctor Is Accused Of Performing Hysterectomies And Other Unnecessary Medical Procedures On Patients Without Their Consent
Perwaiz has been the subject of at least eight malpractice lawsuits, the affidavit noted. In those lawsuits, plaintiffs allege he falsified medical records to justify unnecessary procedures, performed up to 30 surgeries in one day and provided "substandard care" that caused permanent injuries in at least three patients, according to the affidavit's description of the lawsuits. Two patients suffered life-threatening injuries, the affidavit said. The disposition of the malpractice lawsuits is not clear. (Silverman, 11/11)
