Two London based doctors have had their practising license suspended after altering the consent form of a trans man and performing irreversible gender reassignment surgery upon him, a tribunal has heard. 

Speaking to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), the patient, identified as Patient A, detailed how the “unwanted surgery” had a “profound impact in all aspects of his life including his mental well-being.” The trans man consented to two forms of bottom surgery as part of his transition; however, before the operation, he told the doctor he did not want his genitals removed. 

Dr Marco Capece, who works in an independent penis surgery clinic specialising in gender reassignment surgery, altered the form to imply that Patient A had given consent to the third surgery. Penis consultant Dr Giulio Garaffa proceeded to perform the three operations. He was later criticised by the tribunal panel for failing to check with the patient.

MPTS Chair Tim Bradbury said at the tribunal, “[Garaffa’s] failures were serious and numerous… The consequences of these failures were grave, Patient A underwent life-changing and irreversible surgery which (they) did not want.”

The Chair further added that Dr Capece perpetuated a “false narrative” by withholding information about his wrongdoing and his insistence that the document was unaltered.  Mr Bradbury said, “It is significant that having amended the consent form, Dr Capece did not admit his wrongdoing despite numerous opportunities to do so either subsequent to Patient A’s complaint, during the investigation or in the course of this hearing, and he has maintained what the Tribunal has found to be a false narrative.”

After the tribunal, where the trans man spoke about the surgery, concluded, both doctors were found guilty of misconduct. Dr Capece was charged with four counts of misconduct and had his license suspended for a year. Garaffa was found guilty of three charges and received a five-month suspension.