Litzman ends forensic institute head Hiss's tenure

Prof. Yehuda Hiss, longtime director of the controversial L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, is retiring after decades in the post.

In addition, the ministry’s medical administration will take charge of the institute instead of Tzrifin’s Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, which was given overall responsibility for it following scandals and allegations when controlled by Hiss.

The institute, whose pathologists conduct autopsies of bodies in unnatural deaths and identifies victims of catastrophes, terrorism or other violence, has been the the center of much negative publicity in recent years.

Hiss, who was long regarded as “irreplaceable,” has been accused in the media and elsewhere of allegedly saving body parts and tissue that should have been buried.

Following criticism by Deputy Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman about the way the institute has been run, the decision was made to end Hiss’s tenure at his retirement age of 67. In addition, ministry director-general Prof. Ronni Gamzu and experts in the ministry decided to reorganize and make other changes at Abu Kabir.

After the ministry’s medical administration takes control, the institute will be run as a separate unit, Gamzu said. The much-delayed decision was supposed to have been announced months ago. Hiss will be replaced by a professional chosen by a Health Ministry public tender.