Forum Pulls Pharmacy Chain MedPlus Over Home Sample No-Show, Slaps Rs 25,000 Fine
Nursing Home Fined Rs 5 lakh for Medical Negligence
Chennai: The Chennai North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has pulled up Medplus Diagnostics and Healthcare Services for failing to carry out a scheduled home sample collection, directing the company to pay Rs 25,000 in compensation to a city-based couple.
The complainants, R Raja and his wife Nirmala of Arumbakkam, had booked a home blood sample collection through the Medplus website in May 2025. After paying Rs 899, they received confirmation that a technician would visit their residence. Nirmala, who is diabetic and hypertensive, was advised by Medplus staff to observe strict overnight fasting and temporarily stop her prescribed medicines prior to the test, as per a recent media report by DT NEXT.
However, on the day of the appointment, no technician turned up. Calls to customer care as well as the Anna Nagar branch went unanswered. Adding to their frustration, the couple received conflicting calls from Medplus asking when they would come to the diagnostic centre—despite having explicitly booked a home-service slot.
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Because she followed the instructions to fast and withhold medication, Nirmala suffered discomfort, dizziness, and fluctuating blood sugar levels, causing both physical strain and emotional distress. Their work commitments were also disrupted. Although the test fee was eventually refunded—but only after multiple follow-ups and a legal notice—the couple maintained that the refund did not compensate for the risk and hardship they experienced.
After examining the complaint, the Commission comprising President D. Gopinath and members Kavitha Kannan and T.R. Sivakumar concluded that the company’s failure to provide the confirmed service, coupled with medically unsafe instructions, amounted to deficiency in service, unfair trade practice, and medical negligence, DT NEXT reported.
In view of the above, the panel ordered Medplus to pay Rs 20,000 as compensation for the suffering and inconvenience caused, along with Rs 5,000 as litigation costs. Further, it added, the amount must be paid within two months of receiving the order.
