Medical Consent: US Gynaecologist Jailed for Performing Unnecessary Hysterectomies to Fund Lavish Lifestyle
On the 18th May, former gynaecologist Dr Javid Perwaiz was sentenced to up to 59 years in jail for carrying out 173 unnecessary hysterectomies to fund his lavish lifestyle. Based in Virginia, USA, the doctor carried out procedures on patients that were not medically necessary and he falsified patient’s records, statements, symptoms, and consent forms.
He billed insurance companies for procedures he never performed and told many patients they incorrectly may have cancer. All whilst he reaped the rewards, with five luxury cars, lavish shopping sprees and over $200,000 of art in his home. His crimes were abhorrent, praying on vulnerable people seeking medical care, yet time after time opportunities to intervene were missed – why?
Concerns around his practises first started in 1982 when he lost his privileges whilst working at another hospital because of ‘poor clinical judgment’ for performing unnecessary surgeries. He was investigated by the Virginia board of medicine for again performing surgeries 'without appropriate medical indications and contrary to sound medical judgment,' and, as a result, was censored for poor record-keeping. He briefly lost his medical license in 1996 after tax evasion, but it was reinstated in 1998.
His list of crimes was vast, including carrying out 173 medically unnecessary hysterectomies, falsified records of pregnant people so he could induce labour early and violating the 30-day waiting period for patients undergoing elective serialisation. All these tactics were fuelled by his desire to get reimbursed by both private and government insurance companies as quickly as possible, this tallied up to millions of dollars.
The patients that were impacted were low-income earners or people who received Medicaid. Many still live with pain and long-term complications, explaining ‘they had only consented to the procedures because they had trusted the doctor.’ 25 testified in court, and 60 victim impact statements were read, witnesses also included nurses who had repeatedly complained about his practises, often without getting anywhere.
When it comes to healthcare there is often a power imbalance between doctor and patient, especially when that patient is not a white, cis, heterosexual man. Women and people with uteruses are less likely to have their pain believed, their bodies and the illnesses that impact them are less likely to be included in clinical studies or trials. Medical misogyny runs deep, from the Victorian days of hysteria to the modern-day vaginal mesh scandal, women and people with uteruses often find that they are not given the information they need to make informed decisions about their bodies.
Informed consent in healthcare is something I only recently discovered in my late twenties, having lived decades in pain and feeling like I had no authority or voice over my care. Long spoken to like a child without having the full picture explained or having medical decisions about my body bypassing me and being discussed directly with my parent, whilst I sat in silence, made me feel powerless and worthless. My experience is not alone, and it is from cultures like this, where the voice and needs of the patient are not listened to, where the ‘doctor knows best’ mentality thrives, that allow people like Dr Perwaiz to flourish.
'Doctors are in positions of authority and trust and take an oath to do no harm to their patients. With unnecessary, invasive medical procedures, Dr. Perwaiz not only caused enduring complications, pain and anxiety to his patients, but he assaulted the most personal part of their lives and even robbed some of their future,' said Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in charge of the FBI's Norfolk Field Office commenting on the case.
The light at the end of this very dark tunnel, is that Dr Perwaiz will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. However, for many, the long-term pain and suffering he caused them has given them a life sentence too. Karen who underwent unnecessary surgery to remove her uterus and ovaries with him in her early 30s, ‘'I'm glad that he can't do it to anyone else, but I still feel left out, like he didn't get anything for what he did to me.'
Written by Sarah Rose
Sarah Rose is a freelance writer from Belfast who writes about all things pelvic pain. She uses her Instagram platform mypelvicpain to share her journey with endometriosis and raise awareness around this condition and its impact on her life. Sarah’s sole aim is to help others and ensure that no one ever has to suffer in silence again.