Head of First University Clinic slams BBC’s key medical evidence: scientific article starting with political manifesto “nonsense”

Levan Ratiani, the Director General of the Tbilisi First University Clinic, on Friday criticised the Chakhunashvili family’s research cited in a BBC investigation, calling it unscientific and politically motivated.

Ratiani’s comments followed the BBC’s publication alleging that the Georgian Government used a World War I-era chemical agent during last year’s protest rallies.

In his remarks, Ratiani noted that he had never encountered a scientific article beginning with a political overview, arguing that such an approach violated core principles of medical practice.

“I have worked in medicine for many years, I have read numerous scientific articles, and I have authored many articles myself. This is the first time in my life that I have seen a scientific article begin with a political review. Naturally, this is nonsense in medicine, and therefore it is pointless to claim that it is based on any science”, he said.

He further condemned the methodology and intent behind the Chakhunashvili material, asserting that it failed to meet even the basic standards of medical research.

“The medical community follows two laws - the first is ethics, and the second is regulation. In this review - call it whatever you want, I cannot call it a scientific work, nor a description, nor anything else - both principles of medical practice have been violated. When this happens in our country, perhaps every doctor should speak up about it”, Ratiani concluded.

The academic staff of the Departments of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacology at the State University called the document prepared by the Chakhunashvili family politically motivated.

The BBC published an investigative article claiming that the Georgian authorities deployed a chemical substance dating back to World War I during protests in 2024.

The Georgian Government rejected the allegations and announced legal proceedings against the BBC in international courts.

Additionally, the Georgian State Security Service launched an investigation into information disseminated in the public sphere regarding an alleged crime connected to the claim.