Shropshire Disability Network have been asked to share a letter from the CEO of Macular Society and printed below. If any of our members or readers have been affected, please contact Macular Society using the details at the end of the letter. Thank you.
Dear Pauline,
I am writing to let you know that Bobby Qureshi, the Harley Street ophthalmologist who lied to patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) about being able to restore their sight, has been struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC).
Some of you will know that in 2017 the Macular Society submitted a complaint to the GMC, having received more than 50 telephone calls to our Advice & Information Service about Mr Qureshi. He had carried out operations on dozens of patients, implanting his patented lenses at huge expense to those patients, with false claims that their vision would be significantly improved.
The findings of the GMC were that Mr Qureshi repeatedly and deliberately misled patients about the benefits of his lens implants, charging them many thousands of pounds, knowing full well that he could not restore their sight.
It has been deeply distressing and shocking to discover that a doctor could exploit vulnerable people who were desperate to save their sight, compromising their safety and wellbeing for his own profit. Mr Qureshi’s patients were willing to part with their life savings because they – understandably – believed his claims that he could restore their sight.
I urge anyone who is considering undergoing any new treatment which claims to reverse the effects of macular disease to speak to their own macular specialist, or contact our Advice & Information Service to check that it is safe.
We still don’t know how useful lens implants might be – and that is why it is imperative that more research is funded. Thanks to your support, the Macular Society is able to fund a clinical trial starting later this year in Northern Ireland which will test a new type of implanted magnifying lens for people with advanced macular disease.
I want to thank the brave families who came forward and spoke to the Macular Society about Mr Qureshi, those who gave evidence at the hearing – your courage under these heart breaking circumstances is truly admirable, and you have helped to stop Mr Qureshi from causing any further damage to people’s lives.
With my best wishes,
Cathy Yelf
CEO, Macular Society
P.S. If you have been affected and would like support please call our Advice & Information Service on 0300 3030 111 or email help@macularsociety.org