Mumbai: In a case of alleged medical negligence, the wife of a serving soldier has filed a Rs 7 crore lawsuit against MedGenome Labs Limited, Bengaluru, and M/S College of American Pathologists. The lawsuit claims that errors in genetic testing led to severe consequences for her family, including the birth of a child suffering from a genetic disorder that was previously missed in prenatal tests.
The complaint, filed by Hatkar, alleges that her son, born on December 12, 2017, was diagnosed with two rare conditions: Ichthyosis and Penoscrotal Hypospadias. In 2020, genetic testing confirmed a diagnosis of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, a severe genetic disorder. This discovery prompted the family to take extra precautions when planning for a second child.
In 2021, Hatkar and her husband, concerned about the possibility of their second baby inheriting the disorder, sought prenatal genetic testing. The doctor recommended tests, including Prenatal Sanger Variant Analysis and chromosomal analysis, assuring them that if the results were negative, they could safely continue the pregnancy.
On June 16, 2022, Hatkar underwent the recommended tests, paying Rs 18,000 and Rs 5,500 to MedGenome Labs. The initial report, dated July 12, 2022, came back “negative,” indicating the absence of the genetic disorder. The couple, relieved by the results, continued with the pregnancy, trusting that the child would not inherit the condition.
However, after the birth of a healthy baby girl on November 1, 2022, the newborn began displaying the same symptoms of Ichthyosis as her older brother. Doctors suspected a recurrence of the condition and requested a re-test of the original sample. A revised report issued on May 5, 2023, revealed that the sample from June 2022 had, in fact, tested “positive” for the disorder, uncovering a case of medical negligence.
Hatkar, devastated by the results, initially sent a legal notice to MedGenome Labs, but after receiving no response, she decided to file a lawsuit. Speaking to Mid-Day, Hatkar expressed the emotional and physical toll of the condition on her family, describing the challenges her son faces, including severe skin peeling, intense itching, frequent infections, and skin bleeding. The family had hoped to avoid the same fate for their second child but found themselves devastated by the contradictory report.
Representing the family, Hemant Ingle and Imtiyaz Shaikh criticized the lab for its negligence, highlighting the impact on the family’s emotional, physical, and financial well-being. They said, “This case demonstrates shocking carelessness by a reputed diagnostic lab, misleading a family into believing their child was free of the disorder. We seek justice and accountability for the immense distress caused by this negligence, which has had devastating consequences for our clients.”
The lawsuit seeks Rs 7 crore in damages for the distress and medical costs incurred, while demanding accountability from MedGenome Labs and the associated institutions involved in the genetic testing process.
