Health regulator intervenes at Ceraque clinic in Pinhal Novo

The Portuguese Health Regulatory Authority (ERS) has intervened at the Ceraque clinic in Pinhal Novo following reports of a baby born with a severe leg malformation. The case involves a child born in 2024 with type 2 right peroneal hemimelia, a condition that significantly affects leg development.

During the pregnancy, the mother underwent an obstetric ultrasound at the clinic where she was informed that the development was normal. However, the ERS investigation (process ERS/085/2025) identified failures in the clinic’s procedures regarding obstetric ultrasounds. Specifically, the regulator found that one of the physicians performing the exams lacked the required specialized competence. The Ordem dos Médicos confirmed that the professional did not hold the necessary ‘Competência de Ecografia Obstétrica Diferenciada’. While the ERS did not explicitly conclude that this lack of qualification caused the malformation, it determined that the clinic failed to ensure that exams were conducted by properly qualified professionals.