Doctor Arrested for Performing Surgeries Without Women’s Consent

On Friday, November 8, federal authorities arrested a VA doctor on charges of healthcare fraud and false statements. Javaid Perwaiz, 69, was under investigation by the FBI for nearly a year after receiving a tip from a hospital employee who suspected Perwaiz was performing unnecessary surgeries on his patients.

According to an article at ABC News, many of these patients were also unaware these procedures were even being performed. Investigators say the surgeon mostly performed unnecessary procedures on his Medicaid patients. Their preliminary review showed that from January 2014 to August 2018, Perwaiz performed surgeries on 40% of his Medicaid patients – 510 total. Out of these, 42% had two or more surgeries.

The employee whistleblower told authorities that Perwaiz’s patients appeared to be of the understanding they were undergoing procedures for their “annual clean outs.”

As the ABC News article reported, in one case, one of Perwaiz’s patients thought only her ovaries would be removed. However, when she awoke from surgery, she discovered he had allegedly performed a fully hysterectomy. This was documented as “elective surgery” on her chart. Later, after consulting with another doctor, the patient found there were less invasive treatments for her condition.

This isn’t the first time Perwaiz has run afoul of criminal law and medical boards. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion, losing his medical license for two years. Court documents also state he’s been involved in no less than eight medical malpractice lawsuits, including allegations of falsifying patients’ records to justify a procedure, failure to use less invasive techniques, performing as many as 30 surgeries in a day, and providing substandard care that resulted in permanent and life-threatening injuries to patients.

Perwaiz remains held without bond.

If you or a loved one were injured by medical malpractice, call the experienced medical malpractice attorneys of McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC at 803-327-7800, or reach out to us through our contact page. We serve clients throughout South Carolina.