TNN

Chennai, Oct 14: A former professor of Madras Medical College and a x-ray centre in Chennai have been ordered to pay Rs 15 lakh as compensation to a patient by a district consumer forum after the doctor was found to have prescribed wrong medication and the lab's EEG report of his condition was proved to be faulty. The order was delivered by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) against Dr V Palaniappan and Premier Lab and X-ray unit on Poonamallee High Road on a complaint filed by Kumar Srinivas, a caterer and resident of Kolathur.

According to the complainant, he had developed giddiness and sleeplessness in August 2003 after he gave up smoking. He had approached Dr Palaniappan, a neuro-psychiatrist and retired professor of Madras Medical College, for treatment. The doctor in turn prescribed some medicines and asked him to get a EEG scan done at the Premier Lab, he said.

After taking the prescribed medicines for three days, Srinivas however developed complications including blurred vision, heavy sweating, urinal irritation and drowsiness, said the complaint. When he informed the doctor, Srinivas was told these symptoms would continue for three to four days but he would recover after this period. On the basis of the doctor's advice, Srinivas had continued to take the medicines for a week, but the problem had worsened.

Srinivas was later admitted to a private hospital in Porur where the doctors diagnosed that he was suffering from neuro tremors due to the heavy dosage of medicines prescribed by Palaniappan, said the complaint . The private hospital asked Srinivas to stop the prescribed course immediately and put him on a different course of treatment. They also told Srinivas that the EEG done by the lab was faulty.

Condending that Palaniappan and the x-ray centre were liable for medical negligence, the complainant had moved the consumer forum seeking Rs 15 lakh as compensation for the mental agony caused to him in addition to the financial loss suffered in his business.

In response, both the respondents denied the allegations and argued that there was no deficiency in service. Stating that he wanted the complainant to make himself available for a reexamination so that his health could be verified, the doctor said Srinivas had moved the forum only to blackmail him. Each and every drug had side effects, the doctor added.

After hearing both arguments, the forum, headed by president S Sathiyamurthy, rejected the contentions of the respondents. He said the complainant had submitted expert opinion that was unchallenged by the respondents.

The forum said: "In our considered opinion, the complainant made out the case of deficiency in service." The forum's order can be challenged by the doctor and the lab in a higher forum.