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The decision to prosecute the “scandal surgeon” comes after Chief Prosecutor Mikael Björk in 2018 resumed a previously closed preliminary investigation into two cases of bodily injury, which is a felony. A third case of causing bodily harm was added during further investigation.
Surgeen Paolo Macchiarini var visiting professor during 2011-2013 and performed four notable transplants with synthetic tracheas made of plastic in three patients at Karolinska University Hospital, KS. All three have passed away today.
The investigations have established that the experiments were investigations for which Paolo Macchiarini lacked approval. In 2014, a Belgian investigator reported Paolo Macchiarini for investigation fraud, misconduct in investigation. And that was the beginning of a series of investigations, as well as a preliminary investigation against the surgeon in 2016 on suspicion of causing serious bodily injury to another person and serious bodily injury.
A year later, the preliminary investigation was closed. But in 2018, Chief Prosecutor Mikael Björk at the Prosecutor’s Development Center decided to resume parts of the preliminary investigation. This has led to today’s prosecution.
During the preliminary investigation, additional written evidence was obtained and further questioning was carried out with individuals in Sweden, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States and Spain.
According to the prosecutor, the interventions It is carried out completely without legal support, instead it is serious crimes. Mikael Björk says that it has become clear that the interventions were carried out in violation of science and proven experience and therefore were not part of any legal form of licensed medical care or research study.
– Therefore, I assess that the three interventions should be evaluated as aggravated assault instead of causing bodily injury and that it is the former surgeon of the Karolinska University Hospital who alone should assume criminal responsibility, he says.
Paolo Macchiarini has been questioned again by the Swedish police and met reasonable suspicions of aggravated assault in three cases. Denies wrongdoing.
– The surgeon denies aggravated assault in the same way as before.
On Monday, the prosecutor filed charges against Paolo Macchiarini for aggravated battery in three cases in Solna District Court on Monday. The district court has yet to set a date for the hearing to begin.
To conduct a negotiation, the suspect must be involved. Mikael Björk doesn’t know where Paolo Macchiarini is currently, but says they have address information.
– A main hearing requires the participation of the accused. But I have no idea how it will behave, it’s something I have to decide if it becomes relevant.
Is there a risk that I will not go to district court and thus avoid prosecution?
– It cannot be ruled out, says Mikael Björk.
Read more:
This has happened: the Macchiarini scandal
