Paolo Macchiarini is a Swiss thoracic surgeon and former regenerative medicine researcher. He is known for engaging in research fraud and exhibiting manipulative behavior. He was accused of unethically performing experimental surgeries, including on relatively healthy patients. Seven of the eight patients who received his artificial trachea transplants reportedly faced fatal consequences. In 2023, a documentary called “Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife” was released on Netflix, which was adapted from Paul’s work in the field of regenerative medicine.
Wiki/Biography
Paolo Macchiarini was born on Friday, August 22, 1958 in Basel, Switzerland (age 65; as of 2023). Her zodiac sign is Leo. He received his medical degree (equivalent to MD) in 1986 and his Master of Surgery in 1991 at the University of Pisa Medical School (UniPi). In 1989, he studied statistics for clinical research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Macchiarini received degree certificates from the University of Franche-Comté in France, including a master’s degree in organ and tissue transplantation in 1994 and a doctorate in the same field in 1997.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 9″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: black
Paolo Macchiarini and Benita Alexander
family
Parents and siblings
His parents are Italian.
wife and children
In 1986, Paul married an Italian woman named Emmanuela Pecchia. The couple has two children, a boy and a girl. Apparently, he had a total of 5 children. In 2013, he revealed that he had separated from his wife; however, their divorce was not legal at the time.
Relationships/Affairs
In 2013, Paolo Macchiarini began dating NBC News producer Benita Alexander, who was already married to his wife Emanuela Pecchia at the time Separated.
Paolo Macchiarini and Benita Alexander
fiancée
On December 25, 2013, Paolo Macchiarini got engaged to his girlfriend Benita Alexander.
Photos from Paolo Macchiarini and Benita Alexander’s engagement day
Profession
From 1990 to 1992 he worked as Assistant Professor at the University of Pisa. The Medical School in Hannover, Germany, where he served as chief of thoracic and vascular surgery at Heidehaus Hannover Hospital from 1999 to 2004, has said he never had a paid position there. From 2006 to 2009, Macchiarini worked as a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research in Barcelona, Spain. During this period he was affiliated with the University of Barcelona and had a clinic at the Barcelona Hospital. From 2009 to 2014, he was honored as a visiting professor at University College London. Since 2010, he has been a consultant and project manager at the Karegi University Hospital (AOUC). In the same year, Macchiarini served as a visiting professor at the Karolinska Institute (KI) in Stockholm and held a part-time surgical position at the affiliated university hospital. In 2013, KI terminated its clinical relationship with Macchiarini but allowed him to continue as a researcher. However, in February 2016, the university decided not to renew his research contract, which was terminated the following month. Paul established connections in Russia after giving a master class in 2010, where he performed a tracheal transplant. The incident was widely reported in Russian media and led to his appointment to the Kuban State Medical University in 2011. The university and the Russian government sponsor the position, which confers an honorary doctorate. In 2016, he moved to Kazan Federal University with a scholarship. However, the university terminated his research project in April 2017.
Some of the famous tracheal surgeries performed by Paul
Kezia Shotton
In 2010, Macchiarini performed a transplant on Keziah Shorten, a patient with tracheal cancer; however, the transplant was unsuccessful, and the following year an artificial trachea was implanted at University College London Hospital for palliative care. She was discharged from hospital in 2011 and was able to spend Christmas at home with her family, but she eventually succumbed to her pre-existing condition.
Paolo Macchiarini and Keziah Shorten (in bed) after tracheal transplant surgery
Alexander Zozulia
In June 2012, Macchiarini performed another surgery to implant a second artificial trachea in Alexander Zozulya. Zozulia underwent a tracheotomy as a result of the car accident and his injuries are not life-threatening. After complications with the first implant in 2012, a second surgery was performed in November 2013. Zozulya died in February 2014 under unknown circumstances.
Sadiq Kannan
In August 2013, Sadiq Kanaan underwent a complete synthetic tracheal implantation procedure performed by Macchiarini at Kuban State Medical University. He died later that year.
Dmitry Onogda
In June 2014, Macchiarini underwent surgery to implant a fully synthetic trachea on Dmitri Onogda at the Kuban State Medical University. The initial implant failed and was subsequently replaced. As of 2017, Dmitry Onogda is reported to still be alive.
Dmitry Onogda
dispute
Patients at Karegi University Hospital blackmailed
In 2012, Macchiarini faced arrest in Italy on charges of soliciting money from AOUC patients to speed up treatment. The charges were dismissed in May 2015, and the prosecutor’s appeal was dismissed in September 2015.
research misconduct
In 2014, four former colleagues and co-authors accused Macchiarini of falsifying claims in research at Karolinska Institute (KI). In April of the following year, the KI Ethics Committee responded to these accusations by The Lancet regarding research ethics and peer review, deeming them baseless. KI hired an outside expert, Bengt Gerdin, to evaluate the allegations and examine the report’s findings against the hospital’s medical records. The university released Gerdin’s report in May 2015, revealing research misconduct by Macchiarini in seven papers. This includes failure to obtain ethical approval for certain procedures, misrepresentation of the results of certain procedures, and inaccuracies in work involving animals. In August 2015, after evaluating the findings of the investigation and Macchiarini’s response, KI Vice-Chancellor Anders Hamsten concluded that Macchiarini acted “without due care” but found no evidence of misconduct.
fraud
In January 2016, a popular US magazine published an article describing the courtship and alleged marriage arrangement of NBC News producers Benita Alexander and Paolo Macchiarini . In 2013, Benita was assigned by NBC News to produce a documentary about Paul, “Leap of Faith.” During the project, she became romantically involved with him, only to discover in 2015 that he had been married for thirty years, including the entire period of their courtship. The article details Macchiarini’s lies about the surgeon general who became a celebrity and world leader, including claims of ties to former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and plans to be hosted by Pope Francis , Andrea Bocelli and Elton John performed in a lavish wedding, catered by Enoteca Pinchiorri and attended by numerous celebrities. Macchiarini allegedly claimed that Pope Francis had blessed their wedding, but a papal spokesman denied this and said the pope did not know anyone by that name and would not officiate at such an event.
Criminal investigations and convictions
- In June 2016, Swedish police launched an investigation to determine whether Macchiarini could be charged with manslaughter. After a year of forensic investigations, the Attorney General’s Office announced in October 2017 that Macchiarini was negligent in four of the five cases it investigated, citing equipment and procedures used that lacked sufficient evidence. . However, they said they could not prove a crime because the patient could have died under any other treatment.
- In 2019, an Italian court sentenced Paul to 16 months in prison for abuse of power and forgery of documents. However, he was later acquitted by the Supreme Court.
Facts/Trivia
- Paul is fluent in Italian, German, English, French, Spanish and Catalan.
- In August 2021, the third season of the Doctor Death Podcast released a six-episode season titled “Miracle Man,” focusing on Paolo Macchiarini. The podcast explores allegations of ethical misconduct and manipulation in Macchiarini’s medical practice, as well as deception in his relationship with Alexander. The series interviews Benita Alexander to delve into the controversy surrounding Paul.
Poster Death for 2021 Podcast ‘Dr.’
- He was often spotted smoking cigars in public.
Paolo Macchiarini smoking a cigar
- He drinks occasionally.
Paolo Macchiarini holding a small glass of wine
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education