Dr Mohammed Sefahn Chaudhry has been banned from practicing for five months after performing a £3,500 non-essential penis filler operation during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Dr Chaudhry, also known as "Dr Sef," continued to run his clinic, PenisFill.co.uk, despite lockdown regulations.
The General Medical Council acted after a patient, identified as Patient A, complained that the procedure left his genitalia misshapen, and that Dr Chaudhry posted 'before and after' pictures without consent. Additionally, Patient A alleged Dr Chaudhry forged paperwork and raised his voice during complaints.
The Manchester hearing was told Patient A had wanted ‘increased penis girth’ as his partner was ‘not satisfied’ and had undergone a similar procedure in 2017.
He said in a statement: ‘The call was purely logistical e.g., when they could see me, how I could get there (during the Covid-19 pandemic), whether Dr Chaudhry had a London clinic etc. I confirmed that I was circumcised and asked whether my skin would adapt to the filler, and I was advised that it would.’
Patient A underwent the procedure on May 4, 2020 with Dr Chaudhry and the following June attended a second consultation in which he said, the filler had not hardened and his penis started to look ‘misshapen’, and developed a lump. He then claimed that Dr Chaudhry suggested further filler should be injected, free of charge.
On July 18, 2020, Patient A attended Dr Chaudhry’s clinic for a third consultation and procedure and it was agreed that the enzyme Hylase be injected into his penis to dissolve the lump.
However, in his statement Patient A alleged: ‘Dr Chaudhry raised his voice, implying that he was out of pocket as he had provided some of the filler for free and that it was my fault the filler hadn’t hardened. I didn’t think this was very called for.’
While the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service found Dr Chaudhry guilty of serious professional misconduct for operating during the lockdown, it cleared him of failing to provide proper treatment and posting unauthorised photos. Dr Chaudhry denied any wrongdoing and claimed he believed his treatments were essential.
He added: ‘During the covid-19 pandemic my understanding and belief was that the treatments I offer are medical. Therefore I never viewed them as non-essential. Every client that came to us during the pandemic, who was seeking treatments for purely cosmetic reasons, were not seen and advised to come after restrictions had been lifted.
‘Our clinic was not open as normal and has strict covid policies and protocols. I would also like to state, that the area that I work in was an extremely grey area during the pandemic. My colleague doctors, working on the same street, were performing hundreds of cosmetic only procedures.’
‘I was not intently or purposefully breaching Covid-19 legislation. It was a highly unprecedented period with grand uncertainty intertwining also aspects of the working life.’
MPTS chairman Ms Amarjit Sagar emphasised that Dr Chaudhry should have known he was not allowed to remain open during the pandemic, noting widespread information about Covid-19 risks.
Dr Chaudhry, also known as "Dr Sef," continued to run his clinic, PenisFill.co.uk, despite lockdown regulations.
The General Medical Council acted after a patient, identified as Patient A, complained that the procedure left his genitalia misshapen, and that Dr Chaudhry posted 'before and after' pictures without consent. Additionally, Patient A alleged Dr Chaudhry forged paperwork and raised his voice during complaints.
The Manchester hearing was told Patient A had wanted ‘increased penis girth’ as his partner was ‘not satisfied’ and had undergone a similar procedure in 2017.
He said in a statement: ‘The call was purely logistical e.g., when they could see me, how I could get there (during the Covid-19 pandemic), whether Dr Chaudhry had a London clinic etc. I confirmed that I was circumcised and asked whether my skin would adapt to the filler, and I was advised that it would.’
Patient A underwent the procedure on May 4, 2020 with Dr Chaudhry and the following June attended a second consultation in which he said, the filler had not hardened and his penis started to look ‘misshapen’, and developed a lump. He then claimed that Dr Chaudhry suggested further filler should be injected, free of charge.
On July 18, 2020, Patient A attended Dr Chaudhry’s clinic for a third consultation and procedure and it was agreed that the enzyme Hylase be injected into his penis to dissolve the lump.
However, in his statement Patient A alleged: ‘Dr Chaudhry raised his voice, implying that he was out of pocket as he had provided some of the filler for free and that it was my fault the filler hadn’t hardened. I didn’t think this was very called for.’
While the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service found Dr Chaudhry guilty of serious professional misconduct for operating during the lockdown, it cleared him of failing to provide proper treatment and posting unauthorised photos. Dr Chaudhry denied any wrongdoing and claimed he believed his treatments were essential.
He added: ‘During the covid-19 pandemic my understanding and belief was that the treatments I offer are medical. Therefore I never viewed them as non-essential. Every client that came to us during the pandemic, who was seeking treatments for purely cosmetic reasons, were not seen and advised to come after restrictions had been lifted.
‘Our clinic was not open as normal and has strict covid policies and protocols. I would also like to state, that the area that I work in was an extremely grey area during the pandemic. My colleague doctors, working on the same street, were performing hundreds of cosmetic only procedures.’
‘I was not intently or purposefully breaching Covid-19 legislation. It was a highly unprecedented period with grand uncertainty intertwining also aspects of the working life.’
MPTS chairman Ms Amarjit Sagar emphasised that Dr Chaudhry should have known he was not allowed to remain open during the pandemic, noting widespread information about Covid-19 risks.
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