Loading ...Briefing paper by the Strategic Foresight Group (FSI), Toronto.
Contact W. Derzko for information at wderzko@pathcom.com
Jan 16, 2012
Key points transcribed and translated from the original German TV documentary. (see http://www.wdr.de/tv/diestory/
Translated from German and Russian into English by Mykola Moros, Yuliya Prodaniuk, and Vasyl Pawlowsky, members of the Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine (GC4DU). Check against the German original
0:44 Medics in Ukraine remove body parts under a scandalous manner
0:50 “On the day of the funeral I noticed, that my son had wounds on his hands, they have cut out body parts.”
1:10 We are checking the documents from the court proceedings. In the court documents, there is repeatedly mention of a German Company.
1:45 Alexander Illinih…reporter and moderator, works for ICTV, in a land of non- free media. To open up – only a few do. To show or film such a film by the TV German crew is only possible in cooperation with him, because otherwise many files are not accessible to us.
2:10- 2:35 He even managed to get access to forensic medical documents. It’s not about organs, it’s about tissues. Anything that can be used is being removed – bones, muscles and tendons. Even sometimes the skin from the body is removed. Every year, millions of particles will be used in the implant medicine, for example. Ukrainian bone particles as export products for the western world.
3:13 “What was the reaction of the public?” – “No reaction what-so-ever.” “Our Ministry of Health has pretended that there is nothing unusual going on.” Apparently a video clip was shown on ICTV – but the reps of the Ministry of Health pretended that nothing appeared anywhere on TV. They didn’t even react to it.
4:00 On the way to the Institute of the Forensic Medicine (Government- Medicine – Judicial body) in Kyiv. Every dead body needs to go through the autopsy – a habit since the Soviet times, as if the regime wanted to also have control over the dead.
4:29 We tried to get an interview for weeks – but were not successful.
4:35 The team is trying to go in direct – without an appointment. The team gets thrown out by the person in charge.
5:23 In Kyiv alone – they deliver 8,000 corpses annually to the forensic medicine.
5:36 What happens with the corpses? – this is a secret.
5:50 The team goes on the internet – discovers on a US site information about Ukrainian institutes which export body parts.
6:30 Surprise !! a phone number is listed for contact purposes. It’s a German number.
7:15 German Co Tutogen and its head office (US) video and ad.
8:05 It is very difficult to find out what was removed from corpses in Ukraine legally and what was illegal. In Germany the controls are much stricter, therefore harder. The forensic medicine can profit from it, therefore they allow such things to happen.
8:38 A US training expert explains which body parts are of interest in the US market at one of training sessions for forensic medicine employees on how correctly to remove body parts and how to substitute them with what material for burial.
9:30 The team goes to Kryvyj Rog (Rih), where access to information might be easier. There were some court cases – but the person in charge of the operation passed away just before the verdict was read.
10:00 The presiding judge was willing to appear on camera. She said: Witnesses in court stated that body parts were removed without permission. Many witnesses in court stated that they did sign the documents – but they argued, that the method of how they were convinced – pressured into signing the documents – is what they were complaining about. She allows us to read the court documents. German co. TUTOGEN is listed and details of body parts removed are described.
11:50 What surprises me is the size of the operation. Alone from this place (Krivij Rihk) over 1000 (one thousand) bodies are send monthly to Kyiv. Most of the body parts ended up in Germany. We are talking about huge business, not lone cases.
13:00 We found in the court documents also names and addresses. We are visiting one family in Kryvyj Rih. They agree to an interview. Their son committed suicide, he was 19 y.o. “After we found our son’s remains we called the police, the forensic medicine reps arrived took my wife to the side and had her sign a document that an autopsy of the body should be carried out and some organs be removed. She asked her husband why do they want to open the body when it was clear that he hung himself. During the funeral I noticed that deep wounds were on the joints. One man said that they took away the tissues. The husband took him from morgue, while I was busy preparing for a funeral. They saw that he was a healthy man and they could take out a lot from him.”
15:00 The son made a goodbye video before he committed suicide. His mom finds what happened to her son’s body is desecration and that the bones were sold all over the world is simply unbearable.
“I didn’t agree to anyone, but they were in a rush with signing papers and said please write with your hand. In court we found out that the body parts were sold abroad as anatomic material. I don’t consider these people who used our tragedy, humans. They make money out of our tragedy”.
16:30 one corpse valued up to $250 000, when it’s emptied (of organs) and sold on the market.
17:00 Back in the studio in Kyiv. Ukrainian colleague shows us why the Ukrainian authorities don’t stop the body squandering. BIO-IMPLANT is the Ukrainian company that carries out the job belongs to the Ministry of Health. The controlling authority controls itself. Nobody is interested in stopping the lucrative business (body parts removal)
17:30 Ihor Alishenko is in charge of body exports to Germany for over 10 years. This made him a rich person. In this video he explains to forensic medical personnel not to have any bad consciousness, since even the Pope has an ID as organ donor.
18:00 For weeks they are trying to get an interview with Ihor Alishenko. He is either on duty travel or not there. It’s not possible to get through to him.
19:00 The Ukrainian authorities are in submerge position, but what about TUTOGEN in Bavaria? The company agrees to an interview. US head of the company presents to us their products. “We have unparallel success, reliability and respect. That we respect our donors this can be seen from the willingness of donors to the treatment of donor families”.
20:24 When we show them a different story, which comes from Ukraine, court case from Kryvyj Rih, a manager from the US mother firm joins in. Trickery is used during the collection of signatures, in order to be able to sell the body parts on international markets. “This is sad and disappointing that families have not correctly understood what they are signing for. Obviously, they are not thinking straight”. “But one can’t think straight in such situation” “Yes, but the others agree. Of course, when something like this happens it’s very sad for the families. I don’t believe that the tricks are involved in order to get consent.“ TV rep says in Germany such a process of someone coming in the moment of grief and asking to sign any paper is illegal.” Manager: “the timing is critical, especially when the families don’t quite understand what is happening. When there’s more explanation as to what is happening, the better it is for them to reach their decision”. “So, you are blaming the families that they don’t correctly understand what they are signing for instead of seeing the mistakes of your trade-partner?” “No, of course not. It’s very sad when something like this happens and we are there to help, not to go against the donor families wishes”.
In the ad video everything looks quite clean, unlike the Ukrainian cases that don’t get out of our heads.
25:10- 27:43 The Head of Tutogen stated that no parts are being sold for plastic surgery. A leading plastic surgeon in Hamburg is willing to be interviewed. He asked to be filmed in a way that he isn’t recognizable. Products from TUTOGEN for nose plastic surgery are being used. “We regularly use products from the firm for surgeries, and not only we, but other colleagues too. It’s standard in our branch”. “Do you explain to your patients that these parts come from dead bodies?” “It’s not necessary to explain to them for medical reasons”. “But what about moral or legal grounds?” “It’s a good question, I haven’t thought about it”. The patient who is featured in the surgery is a nurse, so she is an exception. She knows where the tissues are coming from and had no problem with filming.
27:50 – 30:30 We are back in Kyiv with our Ukrainian reporter. One more witness is found from the court proceedings. “When his sister went to pick up the body of their mother she nearly collapsed after seeing all the cuts. All the bones were removed and the corpse was very light. He did sign documents, with a trick – they wanted body-parts for research for a breakthrough new medicine.” He regrets until today signing the papers, since trickery and pressure was used. “The goal was very noble, but ended up being a black business”.
30:50 How is the business organized? Back in Kryvij Rih, in the building were many deceased are “procured” – in the forensic medicine morgue. Right opposite is a burial service shop, as if it has been watching what’s going on in the building for years. When the families of the deceased were willingly giving away the bodies, then they received some jewelry for the burial for free, and this is documented in the court proceedings documents.
32:10 The business owner said it was not true that people could just get anything for free with a coupon they received. “It’s a private business. Across the road is a government institution. If people came to me with those coupons – this was a state business and they have agreed to it. If people agreed to it it’s fine but if without agreements than it’s bad. Of course, if the deceased were free of diseases and those parts could help someone, then why not?” He didn’t see any moral problem. 17 witnesses appeared in court against the accused forensic medicine. One of them is: 34:30 Ludmilla Chachina, whose father-in-law’s bones were delivered abroad. When he passed away – they asked for permission to remove his bones, but she said that her father-in-law worked in mines, had health problems, smoked, had alcohol problems and that his bones would be all in bad shape. They said: don’t worry. She still refused – but they said if you don’t agree, you will not receive the body for burial. “So, I signed the papers”- she said. In court the accused had 2 attorneys and did not agree to any statements presented by the witnesses.
36:20 It’s strictly forbidden to take away parts, bones from sick persons, since they can inflict the patients, who receive such implants. So, the companies who provide the tissue/parts guarantee that the bodies be checked for any diseases and correspond to standards. But in reality it is completely different.
36:55 Obviously it is not easy to get an interview in this Ukrainian-German business, even in a place like Kryvij Rih. Surprise visit to manager of operations. “Tell us how the work of body part removal is organized and which role Tutogen plays in it? The person in charge of the court proceeding died, but we found that you signed also documents. Don’t you consider this a dirty business?” “Every business is dirty”. “But especially the tissue/parts-selling business, isn’t it especially dirty business?” “For me it’s quite a normal job. For those that made the money, you have to look somewhere else”. “You received $ as well.” “Just small amounts. The amounts are so small, I can’t even say”. “How many bodies did you work on per month?” “Depended on the order usually, a couple may be.” “Were ever inspectors here from US or Germany?” “From the Ukrainian firm Bioimplant there were some and German also. They had a look at it and went back.” “Did they present any requirements, did they say anything?” “I don’t know, I don’t speak German, only through interpreter”.
40:25 What exactly goes on in Ukraine we can now figure out from the court proceedings. It involves lies, tricks, etc.
40:45 We ask ourselves why do German authorities agree to this?
41:20 Interview with Upper-Bavarian authorities rep. – department’s spokesperson. (Bavaria-location of TUTOGEN, therefore under their admin./juridical responsibility). Many licenses are issued here for Tutogen imports. “Are the inspections in Ukraine being carried out by Bavarian inspectors?” “Controls-inspections are made but less than once per 2 years and not in all 20 places, where Tutogen gets its imports from. There were certain places/businesses that were not in compliance, so they had to be closed down, but no details are made public.” “When asked of some wrongdoings in case of Kryvyj Rih, where there was a court proceeding against the state authorities, the spokesperson could not answer anything due to privacy of information. The body parts scandal goes on. Regularly deep frozen bones are being delivered to Germany. There are 21 body receiving points in Ukraine and not a one functioning controlling body.
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