Manipulation of medical patient data in organ transplantation as attempted homicide?

Abstract

In June of the past year, the criminal investigation of a case of data manipulation that has shocked German transplantation medicine came to an end. The Federal Court of Justice confirmed the acquittal of a liver surgeon from the accusation of attempted homicide through the false indication of allocation-relevant patient data. This case, which is referred to as the “Göttingen Transplant Scandal” represents a caesura for German transplantation medicine, for it led not only to a sharp drop in the already decreasing number of postmortal organ donations, but also to a regular monitoring of all transplant centers in Germany since 2012.