"The Macchiarini case": continued
Swedish scientists: not only Macchiarini is to blame for the death of patients who had an artificial trachea transplanted
Anna Kerman, XX2 century
The Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm has announced that seven researchers are responsible for the improper performance of their duties in the preparation of five scientific articles co-authored with the infamous thoracic surgeon Paolo Macchiarini (Paolo Macchiarini).
A statement from the Karolinska Institute claims that Macchiarini, a surgeon who performed three surgeries to implant an artificial trachea between 2011 and 2013, is primarily responsible for the content of the published articles. All three operations were performed at the Karolinska Institute Hospital. Macchiarini used an author's technique involving the simultaneous use of synthetic materials to form the skeleton of the future trachea and stem cells of patients. In theory, the cells should have multiplied and created a kind of ordinary trachea on the frame. However, this did not happen: two patients died shortly after the operation, and the third, although still alive, is now forced to stay in the hospital permanently.
Now, an investigation conducted by the staff of the Karolinska Institute has shown that the studies co-authored by Macchiarini contained "fabricated and distorted descriptions of the condition of patients." In addition, there was too little information in the articles that could justify prescribing experimental treatment to patients as a "last hope".
The rector of the Karolinska Institute Ole Petter Ottersen (Ole Petter Ottersen) calls for the recall of low-quality articles. Thus, he denies the validity of the previous investigation of the same incident. In 2015, under the previous rector, the articles were already investigated, and Macchiarini was not accused of dishonest behavior.
The institute also said in a statement that 31 more co-authors of the articles "deserve censure for their contribution," but these researchers are not accused of official crimes. And finally, all charges were dropped against five scientists who also participated in the preparation of the materials.
It is extremely important that the behavior of the new rector of the Karolinska Institute destroys the "culture of silence" existing in many academic and medical circles, suggesting that scientists and doctors should cover up the mistakes of their colleagues, even if they led to tragic consequences. Naturally, the deterioration of the patient's condition and even death is not always possible to prevent, but it seems that in the case of Macchiarini and his colleagues, we are talking about a deliberate distortion of information in their favor — and this goes far beyond "conscientious error" or "medical error".
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