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Organ donation card (symbol image): Confidence in transplantation medicine shaken
Photo: Thomas Trutschel / photothek / IMAGO
About ten years ago, the so-called Göttingen organ donation scandal was exposed, and the case is still with the judiciary today.
In connection with the scandal, a former chief physician has now had his pension revoked.
The Administrative Court of Göttingen ruled in March against the former professor at the University of Göttingen (UMG), according to a court spokesman.
In eleven cases, the defendant is said to have influenced the recipients of donor organs by manipulating blood values.
According to the judges, the manipulations were apparently intended to increase the chances of a donor organ being allocated.
The man instructed his employees to carry out manipulations.
In doing so, he abused his leadership position, even if no personal action could be proven.
He received 30,000 euros for the treatment of a transplant patient, which he concealed.
Final loss of trust
The UMG, which filed the disciplinary action, considers the doctor to be one of the central figures in the organ donation scandal.
In July 2012, the clinic put the resident doctor on leave.
Continued employment was no longer reasonable due to a permanent loss of trust.
The court followed this view.
The defendant is now retired.
He had explained that he had known nothing about the manipulation of the blood values.
The surgeon who was accused at the time before the Goettingen Regional Court was solely responsible for the decisions.
He can appeal against the judgment that has now been served within one month.
The 2012 organ donation scandal in Göttingen had far-reaching consequences.
Manipulations had been uncovered at several German clinics, which had lastingly shaken confidence in transplantation medicine.
In the case, a transplant doctor was also charged with attempted manslaughter.
He was acquitted and received more than one million euros in damages.
ptz/dpa/AFP
