Pennsylvania weight loss doctor Prabhakara Tumpati suspended after performing vaginal exams on a couch and quizzing patients about their tampon use

A Pennsylvania weight loss doctor was suspended after he was suspected of performing vaginal exams on a couch and asking patients about their tampon use.

Dr. Prabhakara Tumpati was accused of inappropriate actions in 2017 and in October, the state's Board of Medicine found that he violated professional standards. 

According to disciplinary records, Tumpati inappropriately touched female patient's genital areas on an office couch, inquired about their use of tampons and allowed a medical assistant to dispense weight loss medications without clearance. 

Tumpati, who is described as a weight and sleep medicine physician, has denied that the inappropriate exams took place and plans to appeal his three-year suspension in court, according to state records.

He still has two other offices in Cherry Hill,  New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York. His lawyer said that he does not practice in the New Jersey office.

Tumpati's lawyer, Peter Good, with Caldwell & Kearns, told The Philadelphia Inquirer: 'We understand that discipline may have been appropriate, but we believe the board’s sanction was harsher than it needed to be.' 

Dr. Prabhakara Tumpati, a weight and sleep medicine physician, had his license suspended in Pennsylvania after multiple female patients accused him of inappropriate examinations that took place in 2017 

According to disciplinary records, Tumpati inappropriately touched female patient's genital areas on an office couch, inquired about their use of tampons, and allowed a medical assistant to dispense weightless medications without clearance

It is unclear why Tumpati was not disciplined for six years. In his appeal to the Commonwealth Court, Tumpati said the board misused their power when they issued a harsher penalty.

'There was no immediate concern to impose a sanction sooner,' his lawyer said in the appeal. 

Two of the reported complaints were filed by patients in July and September 2017,  the Inquirer reported. 

A 30-year-old female patients reported that during her visit, Tumpati instructed her to lower her pants and underwear before he performed a vaginal exam on her, according to the legal documents. 

During the exam, he started to quiz her on her tampon usage, records said. 

During his time with the second patient, Tumpati allegedly touched her stomach with an ungloved finger before he moved down below her waistband and led to her inner thigh, documents revealed. 

Tumpati denied what took place with the 30-year-old woman and told the board that she had a skin condition that he thought required examination, documents said. 

He said he decided not to document the skin condition in her chart because it was not related to weight loss.  

He has appealed Pennsylvania's decision to suspend his license for three years and said that the board misused their power when they issued a harsher penalty. (pictured: his Philadelphia office) 

He still has two other offices in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York. His lawyer said that he does not practice in the New Jersey office. (pictured: Tumpati's Brooklyn office) 

In October of that year, the Pennsylvania Department of State sent professional conduct investigator, Sherilyn Gillespie into his Philadelphia office to act as a patient. 

Gillespie, who went undercover as a patient seeking weight loss treatment, reported that during her visit Tumpati told her to lie down on his office couch for the examination. 

According to disciplinary records, he then proceeded to pull up the investigator's shirt, pulled her pants down and without caution, reached his hands into her underwear and ran his ungloved thumb over her hysterectomy scar multiple times. 

In response to Gillespie's claim, the doctor said he chose to examine her scar because weight loss medications are known to cause birth defects. 

Tumpati said that with each patient, he wore gloves and washed his hands before their examinations. His lawyer said that his couch was there to mimic a 'Grandma's living room' to help patients feel at ease. 

Each patient involved in the disciplinary records said they all received weight loss medication cocktails from a medical assistant. 

The board punished Tumpati for having a medical assistant who is not qualified to dispense drugs, which included regulated weight loss medications that went unreported, documents said. 

The board called his behavior with patients 'appalling' when they decided to suspend his license. They added he 'exhibited a complete disregard for the patients' emotional and physical well-being.' 

Tumpati said that with each patient, he wore gloves and washed his hands before their examinations. His lawyer said that his couch was there to mimic a 'Grandma's living room' to help patients feel at ease 

The board called his behavior with patients 'appalling' when they decided to suspend his license. They added he 'exhibited a complete disregard for the patients' emotional and physical well-being' 

The state department has recommended his practice go under probation for one year, but the board requested three. 

His suspension is allowed to be shortened after one year, and his discipline could be minimized to probation for the remaining two years. 

According to his website, both his locations in Pennsylvania are still listed as p[em, along with his one in New York and New Jersey. 

Public records showed that he can still practice medicine in the other two states. 

When The Philadelphia Inquirer called his Brooklyn office, the location was accepting appointments. 

His practice that he shares with one another doctor and medical staff offers weight loss treatments like IV nutrition, body contouring, microdermabrasion, weight loss shakes and bars, and injectable drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.