Rs 7 crore Lawsuit against Medgenome Labs for Alleged Medical Negligence in Genetic Testing

Mumbai: In a case of alleged medical negligence, the wife of a serving soldier, has filed a Rs 7 crore lawsuit in a consumer court against MedGenome Labs Limited, Bengaluru, and M/S College of American Pathologists. The lawsuit claims that errors in genetic testing resulted in severe consequences for her family.

According to Hatkar, her son, born on December 12, 2017, was later diagnosed with two rare conditions: Ichthyosis and Penoscrotal Hypospadias. In October 2020, a genetic test conducted at a hospital in Pune revealed a NIPAL4 mutation, confirming a diagnosis of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, a severe genetic disorder.

This news pushed the family to take extra precautions when planning for a second child. In 2021 when Hatkar and her husband planned for a second child, they were concerned about the possibility of the new baby inheriting the same disorder. Addressing the couple’s concerns, their doctor recommended prenatal genetic testing (Prenatal Sanger Variant Analysis) and chromosomal analysis to determine whether the unborn baby carried the same NIPAL4 mutation. The couple was assured by the doctor that if the results were negative, they could safely continue the pregnancy.

Hatkar following the doctor’s medical advice underwent the tests, paying Rs 18,000 and Rs 5,500 to MedGenome Labs Ltd on June 16, 2022. The initial report, dated July 12, 2022, came back “negative”, indicating the absence of the genetic disorder. The lab’s results gave the couple much-needed relief and enabled them to proceed with their pregnancy under the guidance of their doctors.

If the test had revealed the presence of the mutation, the couple would have considered terminating the pregnancy, in accordance with the law.

On November 1, 2022, Hatkar gave birth to a healthy baby girl. However, within a day, the newborn began displaying the same alarming signs of Ichthyosis that her older brother had shown at birth. The baby’s skin began to peel, and doctors quickly suspected a recurrence of the condition. Following this, the doctors contacted MedGenome Labs for a re-test of the original sample.

A revised report, issued on May 5, 2023, disclosed that the sample from June 2022 had, in fact, tested "positive" for the disorder, revealing a serious case of medical negligence. Devastated by the lab results, Hatkar first sent a legal notice to the lab, but after receiving no response, she decided to file a case against MedGenome Labs Limited.

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Children with this condition require immediate and ongoing medical intervention. Intensive therapy must begin within the first few hours of birth, followed by lifelong care that includes regular medication, specialized nursing, continuous support, and tailored education. The family, already burdened by the challenges of their son's condition, was devastated by the severity of the situation.

As a devoted mother, Hatkar has fully committed herself to caring for her son, while the family continues to struggle with meeting the extensive, round-the-clock care requirements. Hatkar remarked that they had taken every precaution to ensure their second child wouldn’t face the same fate. They had conducted all the necessary tests, yet the contradictory report had shattered their lives. Their grief deepened as they worried about what lay ahead for their daughter.

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Speaking to Mid-Day, Hemant Ingle, and Imtiyaz Shaikh, representing the Hatkar family said, “This case highlights a severe instance of medical negligence that has profoundly impacted our clients. Despite trusting a reputed diagnostic lab and following medical advice, they were misled by a faulty genetic report that assured them their unborn child was free of the disorder. The subsequent discovery of contradictory findings after the birth of a second child with the same condition demonstrates shocking carelessness and a failure of duty by the lab and associated entities. This negligence has caused our clients immense emotional, physical, and financial distress. Through this lawsuit, we seek accountability, justice, and a deterrent against such lapses in the healthcare system, which can have devastating consequences for families.”