Swedish Nobel judges fired in Karolinska medical scandal

BBC News : Two judges have been asked to leave a panel that picks the Nobel prize for medicine in a scandal surrounding a disgraced Italian transplant surgeon.

"Karolinska Medical Scandal: Swedish Nobel Judges Dismissed Amid Controversy"
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The decision to drop Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten came after the Swedish government sacked the entire board of the prestigious Karolinska Institute, where the scientist worked.

Dr Macchiarini denies all the charges against him.

The case has come as a severe blow to the institute.

‘Scandal is the right word’

The damage is so great, and of such a character, that we will ask them to resign from the Nobel Assembly.

Next month, the 50-member Nobel panel is due to announce the winner of the annual prize.

“Scandal is the right word,” stated higher education minister Helene Hellmark Knutsson on Monday.

As mentioned by the speaker, the actions of the Karolinska Institute and the Karolinska University Hospital have caused harm to people.

Additionally, in 2011, he received praise for leading a team that performed the first synthetic organ transplant.

However, earlier this year, he lost his job after a TV documentary by Swedish broadcaster SVT showed footage of operations he carried out in Russia, which the Karolinska Institute itself described as “truly alarming”.

Moreover, prosecutors in Sweden stated in June that they were investigating the stem cell surgeon on suspicion of two cases of involuntary manslaughter at Swedish hospitals in 2011 and 2012.

Furthermore, other reports have alleged that he gave false information on his resume.

Macchiarini, once hailed for his groundbreaking organ transplant procedures, has faced allegations of scientific misconduct and unethical practices. The scandal has not only tarnished the reputation of the Karolinska Institute but has also raised questions about the integrity of the Nobel Prize selection process.  The repercussions of this scandal are far-reaching and highlight the need for stringent ethical standards in the field of medical research and academic institutions.

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