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How surgery startups trap patients

A mix of fear and urgency has made it easy for online health companies to convince people to undergo surgeries.

Sowmya R.

28 July, 2022•10 min

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Editor's note: Last year, after experiencing acute pain in his lower back and frequent constipation for two months, M, a 35-year-old corporate executive, decided to enquire about treatment on Gurugram-based online healthcare platform Pristyn Care. The process was straightforward. He clicked on “Piles” and a list of proctologists in his city appeared. M chose the doctor with the highest rating and requested a callback. Half an hour later, he received a call, from a sales representative and not a doctor, as he was expecting. Apart from providing his age and other basic information, M mentioned that he’d had nothing more than a basic diagnosis of haemorrhoids. At this, the Pristyn Care representative suddenly seemed excited. “He sounded happier than a child who was offered candy,” recalls M. Five minutes into the conversation, the sales representative threw a curveball: “Sir, at least 40% of people with haemorrhoids develop cancer in a few years and this percentage is only increasing. With your flourishing corporate career, I’m sure you don’t want to risk it!” Even as M was trying to make sense of what this …