Victoria Police have dropped an investigation into former Epworth surgeon Simon Gordon, who faced allegations of performing unnecessary surgeries on women. The probe was initiated in February after former premier Jacinta Allan referred the claims to the police.
Police announced Tuesday that they were unable to proceed with the investigation based on the information provided. "Any new information provided to police will be thoroughly assessed," a Victoria Police spokesperson told AAP.
Dr. Gordon has denied the allegations. The claims, which surfaced on ABC's Four Corners, alleged that some women underwent surgery for severe endometriosis despite their pathology results not supporting the need for such procedures. Dr. Gordon retired from Epworth in 2025 and surrendered his medical registration.
In August, the medical regulator reported that Dr. Gordon had been referred to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal following its own investigation. Law firms representing former patients have reported receiving hundreds of complaints. One former patient, Mary Spanos, stated that doctors later confirmed she suffered complications from a 2022 surgery, and her medical records reportedly showed no endometriosis was removed.
In response to the allegations, the Victorian and federal governments introduced support measures for endometriosis patients in April. Epworth Healthcare announced in March the formation of an independent expert panel to review its clinical governance. The hospital group had referred concerns to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in October and stated it was cooperating with authorities.