The Gujarat Medical Council (GMC) has formally demanded that the National Medical Commission (NMC) immediately lift the stay imposed on GMC’s disciplinary action against disgraced cardiologist D. Prashant Vazirani. Dr Vazirani stands at the center of a scandal involving the deaths of two patients at Khyati Hospital, and a broader fraudulent scheme to exploit the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) by conducting unnecessary medical procedures. The extent of the malpractice, exposed in November last year, has drawn widespread outrage.
Dr Vazirani had approached the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC in December, challenging the GMC’s decision to debar him.
A national newspaper has published an NMC order staying the debarment. “If the stay continues, it will pose a significant threat to public health and undermine trust in the medical regulatory framework,” states the letter, which cites the report of the fact-finding committee appointed by the govt of Gujarat, detailing the violations of medical conduct by Dr Vazirani in the Khyati Hospital scam.
Dr Chetan Patel, vice-president of the Gujarat Medical Council (GMC), told media outlet that the council had written to the National Medical Commission (NMC), urging it to reconsider the stay it granted on disciplinary action against Dr Prashant Vazirani. Patel said the letter was backed by significant evidence, and that the NMC had been apprised of the severity of the allegations.
The GMC’s letter outlines multiple instances of alleged medical negligence in the Khyati Hospital case, where Dr Vazirani is accused of conducting unwarranted procedures under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). According to the council, clinical notes and medical histories were missing from most patient files involving angiographies and angioplasties. The letter also points to glaring discrepancies in reports, a lack of informed consent from patients or their families, absence of clinical justification for the procedures, and inadequate post-procedural care.
The report further revealed that the deceased patients exhibited no significant cardiac conditions prior to undergoing procedures, with even their pre-angiography ECGs showing normal results. The hospital lacked essential diagnostic records such as treadmill tests and Troponin reports. In one case, while the written report claimed a 90% blockage, the corresponding angiogram video reportedly showed no such critical obstruction. The GMC’s letter also flagged manipulated timestamps in CPR documentation, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the medical records.
The council informed the NMC that Dr Vazirani was arrested on November 13 and remains in custody. It also referenced findings from the police investigation, including details from the chargesheet that underline the gravity of the allegations.
“Out of 19 patients, seven had no significant blockages, yet false diagrams indicating 70-90% blockages were uploaded to the PMJAY portal to claim benefits. Patients and their families were frightened into consenting by exaggerated claims of serious blockages and emergency situations,” the letter, published by the newspaper, reads. “It appears that Dr Vazirani, along with co accused individuals, engaged in unethical medical practices for personal financial gain. The matter goes beyond financial fraud, involving serious risks to lives.”
“In light of these grave findings, the decision to grant a stay in this case, without hearing the govt of Gujarat through its concerned department — it being the affected party, without calling for case-related documents from our council and without providing reasons, has come as a great shock to the GMC and the general public.”
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