External review group appointed to investigate freezer failure
Anna Beskow, head of Uppsala Biobank at Uppsala University, will be chairing the external group that will be reviewing the investigative team’s report and conclusions concerning the freezer failure at Neo. The external review group, which comprises four independent experts, will present its report to KI president Annika Östman Wernerson.
At an early phase of the investigation into the freezer malfunction at Neo a request was made for an external and independent group to review and analyse the internal investigative team’s report and procedures for the purposes of quality assurance and correctness.
This external review group has now been appointed. Its four national and international members are independent of KI and Karolinska University Hospital.
The review group members:
- Anna Beskow, head of Uppsala Biobank (chair)
- Andrea Wutte, head of the BBMRI-ERIC (a European biobanking research infrastructure) Quality Management service
- Professor Mikael Wiberg, medical expert, Umeå university and Region Västerbotten
- Dino Salagic LLM (Master of Laws), biobank legal counsel at Region Östergötland
The group is tasked with verifying and auditing the information gathered and the conclusions drawn by the investigative team.
It will also be deciding if all past and present contributing factors to the incident have been taken into account and if any further investigation is required. The group can also request any additional inquiries and investigations it considers necessary.
The group will then be presenting a written report on its observations, conclusions and proposed measures.
Leading the completion of the internal report
External review group chair Anna Beskow will be taking part in the completion of the internal report and deciding on the material to be passed on to her group.
The group will start its work when the investigative team submits its report , i.e.(updated 240326) provisionally in mid-April. Professor Matti Sällberg, dean of KI South, will be its contact person during the investigation.
IVO (the Health and Social Care Inspectorate) has also opened a case in response to the freezer malfunction and has requested access to the internal investigative team’s report.