The state clinical establishment regulatory commission has asked Care IVF, a fertility clinic, to pay a woman Rs 1 lakh in compensation for damaging two embryos though she was paying maintenance charges to the clinic, the commission’s chairperson told a news conference on Monday.
The woman paid Rs 36,000 as maintenance charges for keeping the embryos in the clinic. She also paid Rs 97,000 for the development of the embryos, said retired Justice Ashim Banerjee, the commission’s chairperson.
“Care IVF, which is located on Sarat Bose Road, will be paying the compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh in four instalments of Rs 25,000 each between July and October,” said Banerjee.
Banerjee said the woman underwent two embryo implants but they were unsuccessful. Two other embryos were frozen and kept with the clinic. “They were there for nearly five years. When the woman came for implantation again, it was found that the embryos had been damaged,” Banerjee said.
During Monday’s hearing, a lawyer appearing for the clinic said that since IVF was a highly uncertain procedure, the clinic cannot be held responsible for what happened.
“We did not agree with them. The woman paid for maintenance of the embryos. We asked them to pay the compensation,” Banerjee said.
The Telegraph could not reach Care IVF for it’s reaction to the order.
The commission also asked Charnock Hospital to pay Rs 60,000 in damages to a patient’s family for failing to arrange for a pulmonologist for the patient on time.
Banerjee said the pulmonologist to whom the patient was referred came two days after the referral.
“The patient has multiple comorbidities and was 93-year-old. The pulmonologist to whom he was referred came two days later. The hospital should have arranged any other pulmonologist...” he said.
Banerjee, however, said doctor members of the commission did not find anything wrong with the treatment. The penalty was imposed for the delay on arranging the pulmonologist, he said.
The hospital had earlier been fined Rs 1 lakh in the case. After it pleaded for a review of the order, the amount was reduced to Rs 60,000.
A senior official of the hospital did not want to comment.
Fire
A fire broke out in an electric lamp post on Kolupara Lane in Kasba late on Sunday. One fire tender doused the flames, police said.