Council takes on Dr Dial-a-Diagnosis

‘LOOK at me! Look atmy face . . . I’m on the f***ing constant Valium, man! Constant!”

Almost three years have passed since Dr Marian Tupy, at the time a successful urologist practising at a Johannesburg hospital, made this admission in a recorded conversation with investigator Paul O’Sullivan which was later submitted during his fraud trial.

That was when he admitted in court to having faked Czech criminal Radovan Krejcir’s cancer diagnosis. Tupy pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Krejcir in return for a suspended sentence.

Yet, despite his criminal conviction, he continues to treat patients in a small town about 150km from Johannesburg.

This week a receptionist at his consulting rooms at Mediclinic Highveld in Trichardt, Mpumalanga, confirmed that Tupy worked there. He charges first-time patients R450 for the visit.

Having recently abandoned a court challenge to his conviction, Tupy will now face the medical professions council.

The Health Professions Council of South Africa said this week that Tupy would be charged for falsifying a diagnosis. It also intends charging him with bringing the profession into disrepute.

Tupy received a seven-year sentence, suspended for five years, after admitting in court that he had swapped another cancer patient’s samples with Krejcir’s. Krejcir used the false diagnosis to secure a policy payout of R4.5-million from Liberty Life.

Mediclinic spokesman Lee-Ann Bell said: “Mediclinic . . . considered the matter in detail [when it first came to light] and was comfortable that, due to the prevailing circumstances, Tupy be allowed to continue practising at its hospital.”

Tupy did not respond to messages left for him with his receptionist.