Ministry files complaint on transplant operation

ANKARA - Doğan News Agency

The rector of Hacettepe University, Murat Tuncer (C) says if there is a place to conduct two-arm, two-leg transplant operations at the same time, it is still Hacettepe. AA photo

Turkish Ministry of Health has filed a complaint to the Higher Education Board (YÖK) following an investigation about a recent tissue transplant operation realized in Ankara’s Hacettepe University.

“Hacettepe University Hospital conducted a transplant on the patient Şevket Çavdar divergent to the Composite Tissue Transplant Scientific Advisory Commission’s Guide. The university also conducted a face transplant operation out of indication, despite the commission’s report. Hacettepe University Medical Faculty composite limps council is responsible for the failed operations,” read the Ministry of Health’s report.

Hacettepe’s license was cancelled after the death of Şevket Çavdar, the world’s first quadruple-limb transplant patient late February. His body refused to accept the transplanted limbs after the surgery, which sparked an debate about the rapidly increasing number of transplantation operations in Turkey. The Ministry of Health cancelled the university’s license after their investigation into Çavdar’s surgery.

Murat Tuncer, the rector of Hacettepe University, whose transplantation license was cancelled by the Ministry of Health on March 23, said the university had been co-operating with the Ministry of Health before the ministry asked YÖK to launch an investigation into the officials responsible for the deadly recent operation.

“If there is a place to conduct two-arm, two-leg transplant operations at the same time, it is still Hacettepe University,” said Rector Murat Tuncer.

Although the university rector said they would renew their license and continue down the path of transplantation operations, health Minister Recep Akdağ yesterday denied that the licence would be renewed.