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The National Consumer Commission on Thursday dismissed a medical negligence claim to the tune of Rs 143 crore filed by a US-based doctor who had alleged that his wife died because of negligence at a Kolkata hospital.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Bench comprising Justice M B Shah, Justice K S Gupta and Member Rajya Lakshmi, in its judgement, absolved five Kolkata-based doctors -- Sukumar Mukherjee, Balram Prasad, Kaushik Nandi, Abani Roy Chaudhary, all of Advanced Medical Research Institute-Apollo Hospital, and Vaidyanath Haldhar from charges of medical negligence.
Kunal Saha, in his complaint, had alleged that doctors at AMRI-Apollo Hospital had administered an "unscientific overdose of highly toxic steroid" to his wife Anuradha which resulted in her death.
Saha's saga began in April 1998 when he and his wife were visiting Kolkata to visit their families. After a few days in Kolkata, Anuradha, 36, developed a cold, a fever and minor skin rash which looked like it was spreading a week later.
The family was concerned and they fixed up an appointment with a reputed doctor, Dr Sukumar Mukherjee.
Saha, who was born and brought up in Kolkata and who graduated in the top of his class from Nilratan Sarkar Medical College there, asked his friends and professors about Dr Mukherjee's reputation and received glowing reports.
The skin rash was diagnosed as toxic epidermal necrolysis, an immune disorder that is fatal in 15-40 per cent cases. Anuradha's condition worsened, but the doctors were apparently certain that it would improve.
Saha said he saw Dr Mukherjee inject his wife with 80 milligrams of Depo-medrol. Dr Mukherjee also prescribed 80 mg twice a day. Over the next five days, 800 mg of Depo-medrol found their way into Anuradha.
Months later, in correspondence with Pharmacia-UpJohn in the US, makers of the steroid, Saha learnt that the correct dosage was 40 to 120 mg once every two to four weeks.
After six days of this treatment, Anuradha's condition worsened. Her skin peeled off. She was then admitted to the Advanced Medical Research Institute.
She was shifted to Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, where she died on May 28. The cause of death was listed as septic shock with systemic candidiasis, a frequent side effect of excessive steroids.