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Swedish doctor probed over 20 deaths

Peter Vinthagen Simpson
Peter Vinthagen Simpson - [email protected]
Swedish doctor probed over 20 deaths

The police murder investigation against a doctor working at Växjö hospital in southern Sweden has been extended after his predictions over when patients would die were shown to be extremely accurate.

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The allegations came to light in the beginning of December when the daughter of an 83-year-old woman accused the experienced doctor of having administered a lethal injection of potassium, according to a report in the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) daily.

The letter, sent to Växjö Central Hospital, has led to a police murder investigation against the doctor which has now been extended to a possible 20 cases in which the doctor has accurately predicted when the patients would die.

"It's remarkable. The time of death matches very well when compared with the projections contained in medical records," said prosecutor John Henningsson to the newspaper.

Henningsson now wants medical experts to analyse ten to twenty deaths that occurred while the doctor was employed at the department. But neither the National Welfare Board (Socialstyrelsen) nor the National Board of Forensic Medicine (Rättsmedicinalverket) are prepared to review the journals.

"It is a bit strange. We are ready to hand over the material but do not know where to turn to find the medical expertise," said Johan Henningsson to SvD.

The welfare board has expressed concerns over a possible conflict of interest, while the forensic medicine board has replied that the request is outside their responsibilities. Henningsson will now consult with his superiors at his Kalmar office before deciding how to proceed.

In the case of the 83-year-old woman the doctor is suspected of murder, while there are currently no further criminal suspicions against the doctor in respect of the other deaths.

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