Federal Police will investigate cases of patients infected with HIV after organ transplantation

The Federal Police will investigate the case of six patients in Rio de Janeiro who received organs contaminated with HIV, according to the Ministry of Justice. The patients were awaiting a transplant at the Rio de Janeiro State Health Department (SES-RJ), and experts consider the case unprecedented in Brazil.

Inquiry and ongoing investigations

The investigation also involves the Ministry of Health, the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ), the Civil Police and the Regional Council of Medicine (Cremerj). The National Transplant System adopts strict criteria for screening donors, following standards from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which require serology tests for HIV, hepatitis and other infections. The inspection found irregularities: the PCS did not present test kits, invoices or purchase records, and the Police are investigating whether the tests were actually carried out. The case, revealed by BandNews FM radio and confirmed by TV Globo, also brought to light possible conflicts of interest. One of the laboratory's partners, Matheus Vieira, is the cousin of the former state Health Secretary, Dr. Luizinho, who is currently a federal deputy for the PP. The contracting of PCS for laboratory analysis services took place in December 2023, through an auction, and resulted in a contract worth R$11 million for transplant tests, signed just three months after Dr. Luizinho left the state secretariat. of Health.

_{News about the number of infected organs (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@folhadesaopaulo)}

Anvisa and the case of contaminated organs

The president of Anvisa, Antônio Barra Torres, described the incident as “very serious” and highlighted the risks to the confidence of patients in delicate health conditions. “A very serious situation that further increases the distress of patients“, declared Barra Torres. The Patologia Clínica Doutor Saleme laboratory (PCS-Saleme), responsible for testing contaminated organs, is under investigation. Among its partners are Matheus Sales Teixeira Bandoli Vieira, cousin of the former Secretary of Health and current federal deputy Doutor Luizinho, and Walter Vieira, married to the deputy's aunt. The company received almost R$20 million between 2022 and 2024, including payments to UPAs without formal contracts, using terms of account adjustment (TACs), a measure considered exceptional by the Court. of State Accounts (TCE). Data from the Transparency Portal indicate that the laboratory has received significant amounts since August 2022. The TCE highlighted that TACs, used to justify these payments without a contract, must be applied exceptionally, with caution in administration. public.

Featured photo: Organ transplantation (Reproduction/Sturti/ Getty Image Embed)