Swedish institute fires superstar doctor amid accusations of ‘the biggest lie in medical history’

Paolo Macchiarini was once feted as a medical superstar, known as a trailblazer in the field of stem cell research who had revolutionised windpipe surgery and a personal doctor to VIPs – he claimed to have operated on everyone from Pope Francis to the Obamas.

But on Wednesday Macchiarini’s employer, Sweden’s prestigious Karolinska University (KI), announced it had fired the Italian with immediate effect.

In a statement, Karolinska said Macchiarini’s contract would be rescinded for a variety of reasons including apparent scientific negligence and the falsification of his CV.

“It is impossible for KI to continue to have any co-operation with Paolo Macchiarini. He has acted in a way that has had very tragic consequences for the people affected and their families. His conduct has seriously damaged confidence in KI,” human resource director Mats Engelbrektson said in a statement.

Macchiarini said he denied the allegations, telling Nature magazine: “I do not accept any of the findings of the [Karolinska] Disciplinary Board. I have instructed lawyers and will be taking immediate steps to restore my reputation.”

Macchiarini had been part of the team that conducted the world’s first transplant using a windpipe partly made from a patient’s own stem cells in 2008, a controversial procedure criticised by many scientists but approved by regulators in the UK and Spain. The international team that carried out the transplant had also included researchers from Bristol and Barcelona universities.