Heavy fraud manipulated organ transplants at the University of Heidelberg

Heidelberg University Hospital confirms errors
Organ transplants can save lives. However, there is a chronic shortage of donor organs, so some medical professionals are tempted to manipulate waiting lists illegally so that their patients receive a needed organ more quickly. Corresponding manipulations should also have taken place in the Heidelberg University Hospital. According to the Heidelberg University Hospital, the Heidelberg University Medical Center has already filed a criminal complaint against Unknown in August.

The University Hospital confirmed on Friday a report of the Examination Board of the German Medical Association, according to which "notifications from the years 2010 and 2011 of patients for heart transplantation had not fully complied with the guidelines of the German Medical Association." Among other things, the duration and dose of the administration of certain circulating drugs given to patients in advance of a possible transplant. Here, the medicines for strengthening the heart muscle should not have been administered as intended, which is why the patients were given a donor organ faster.

Manipulations of waiting lists for organ transplants have occurred at the university clinic (Image: Matthias Stolt / fotolia.com)

Overall, 34 patients detected errors
The testing commission found errors in the documentation of 34 patients at the heart transplant center of the Heidelberg University Hospital. In the period from 2010 to 2014, a total of 121 patients received heart transplants at the Heidelberg Heart Transplant Center. Following examination by the Commission and the identification of errors, Heidelberg University Hospital, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs Stuttgart, has compiled the data of all patients who received a heart transplant at the Heidelberg Heart Transplant Center between 2010 and 2014.

Here were more disagreements to light. The German Medical Association has "explicitly praised the extremely thorough and outstanding own processing of the individual transplants by the Heidelberg University Hospital". The Chief Medical Director, Guido Adler, we cited by the news agency "dpa" with the statement that "has been violated the rules.".

Investigations of the prosecutor
To what extent other seriously ill patients may not have received a donor organ in time due to the manipulation is unclear, according to the Chief Medical Officer. It is "extremely difficult to prove that any other patient has suffered as a result," Adler is quoted by the "dpa". Nevertheless, the prosecutor investigates on suspicion of attempted dangerous assault. In view of the errors discovered, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Heidelberg University Hospital, Simone Schwanitz, emphasized that the legal and medical requirements for transplants must be complied with at all times and at all times. Therefore, the hospital has a high interest in education.

Punishable behavior difficult to detect
The manipulation of the waiting lists should have been done by medics deliberately administered the seriously ill patient too low a dose of the drug dobutamine or this much shorter than prescribed use. Prior to transplantation, this cardiac-enhancing drug must be given a certain amount of time, and depending on how the condition develops, it is decided whether or not those affected receive a donor heart. Those who still show a heart failure after the medication have the highest priority, Adler said to the "dpa". Due to the wrong administration of the drug, an increased urgency was faked here. Whether actually acted punishable, the ongoing investigation must show.

However, the acting physicians are often difficult to prove criminally relevant misconduct in such cases. For example, the defendant was acquitted of the allegation of attempted manslaughter in May in the scandal involving manipulation of the donation process at the University Hospital Göttingen. The public prosecutor's office has filed an appeal against this. (Fp)