Karolinska surgeon denounces misconduct allegation

The surgeon who last month was accused by his institution of academic misconduct has responded to say the report constitutes a "miscarriage of justice".

The independent report—commissioned by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and published in May 2015—found Paolo Macchiarini had carried out a “systematic misrepresentation” of data in his work, which involved the transplanting of stem cell-treated tracheae. But Macchiarini has responded to say the report represents “a potential disastrous miscarriage of justice” on the part of the investigative committee.

The report, by Bengt Gerdin, professor emeritus of surgery at Uppsala University, concluded that Macchiarini and his colleagues did not accurately describe the condition of patients. But Macchiarini has said that Gerdin did not have access to all the relevant records, which corroborate the initial assessment of the transplant patient’s condition.