The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro arrested a woman this Sunday (20) on suspicion of involvement in the issuance of erroneous reports by the PCS Saleme Laboratory, which led to the infection of six patients who underwent transplants in the state with HIV. The arrest is part of the second phase of Operation Verum. Police have not released the identity of the woman arrested on Sunday. 
According to a note from the Civil Police, the operation aims to carry out, in addition to the arrest, eight search and seizure warrants, “in order to strengthen the ongoing investigation”. The operation is carried out by civil police officers from the Consumer Police Station (Decon), with the support of the General Department of Specialized Police (DGPE).
The first phase of the operation arrested four people: doctor Walter Ferreira, partner at the PCS Lab Saleme laboratory, and employees Jacqueline Iris Bacellar de Assis, Cleber de Oliveira Santos and Ivanildo Ferreira dos Santos.
In addition to this Sunday’s investigations, according to the police, analysis of the seized documents and materials is underway.
The investigations, conducted by the Consumer Police, indicate that there was an operational failure in the quality control applied in the tests, with the aim of reducing costs. Sample analysis was no longer carried out daily and became weekly.
An investigation is also underway to investigate the process of hiring the laboratory by the state government.
“The State Government’s task force aims to quickly clarify the facts and hold those involved accountable if irregularities are found,” informed the Civil Police.
Understand the case
Two donors had incorrect HIV reports signed by the PCS Lab Saleme laboratory, which was responsible for testing before the organs were sent for transplants in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Patients were considered negative when they were actually positive for the virus. As a result, six patients were infected with HIV as a result of transplants.
PCS Lab Saleme was closed by the local Health Surveillance until investigations were completed, focusing on the safety of transplants. New pre-transplant exams are being carried out at Hemorio.
The Health Foundation, which is linked to the State Department of Health and is responsible for managing the units of the state network, called, on an emergency basis, the runner-up in the auction, to take the place of the PCS Lab Saleme laboratory. A new tender is being prepared.
THE laboratory PCS Lab Saleme had at least three contracts with the Health Foundation. The laboratory has, among its partnersfamily members of federal deputy Dr. Luizinho (PP-RJ), who was state secretary of Health from January to September 2023. In a note released by his advisor on the 11th, the parliamentarian said that when he was secretary he never participated in choosing this or any laboratory.
The unprecedented case is considered serious by the State Department of Health (SES) and the Ministry of Health
The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), state and municipal Health Surveillance and the National Transplant System (SNT) of the Ministry of Health coordinate a series of actions to investigate HIV infection in transplant patients in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
