US committee investigates New Jersey organ procurement organization
The US House Ways and Means Committee is investigating the New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network for what it describes as “extreme abuse of public trust” and possible illegal activities, including efforts to procure organs from individuals who did not volunteer as donors. Notably, in one instance, the network attempted to continue organ recovery from a patient who subsequently showed signs of life, reports BritPanorama.
According to a letter from the committee, the New Jersey network is one of 55 federally designated nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) responsible for managing organ recovery for transplantation in the US. The committee has sought information and records from the network since at least July, alleging a pattern of unacceptable behaviour among various OPOs it has investigated.
The letter highlights testimonies from nearly a dozen whistleblowers, one of whom referenced an incident involving a patient at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. After the individual was declared dead, the organ recovery process began but was interrupted when the patient “reanimated.” Witnesses reported that the chief executive officer of the network instructed staff on site to proceed with the recovery, though hospital personnel intervened to halt the process.
Neither the hospital nor the New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network responded to requests for comment regarding the incident. The committee described the case as “shocking” and “alarming,” stating that several whistleblowers indicated that relevant documents were either deleted or altered.
Additional allegations include misuse of documentation to convince families of patients that the network had the authority to remove organs, even if the deceased were not registered donors or had revoked donation consent. The network is also accused of having procured and disposed of hundreds of organs just to meet federal performance metrics, as well as prioritising organ offers to individuals out of sequence on the transplant waiting list.
The committee’s letter asserted, “This is unacceptable. The organs procured by every OPO across the country belong to the individuals on the waitlist who are ranked and matched using medical criteria. They do not belong to the OPOs, and it is not NJTO’s role to pick winners and losers on the transplant waiting list.”
Moreover, it noted that the New Jersey Sharing Network has made misleading statements to Congress during its investigation. The letter raised concerns about the network’s tax-exempt status and underscored the need for potential legislative reforms.
In light of these allegations, the House Ways and Means Committee is demanding additional documentation from the New Jersey organization, including any received complaints and communications involving its leadership, as well as unredacted documents relating to the Camden case.
This investigation is part of a broader scrutiny of organ procurement practices. In recent months, the committee has previously addressed concerns with other organizations, such as the Indiana Donor Network, regarding misuse of private jets, and has pursued documentation from the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency over operational inconsistencies. In September, actions by the US Department of Health and Human Services resulted in the decertification of the Miami-based organization for unsafe practices, signalling ongoing reform efforts across the field.
The letter from the committee reflects an increasing focus on accountability within the nation’s organ procurement organizations as pressure mounts to ensure ethical practices are upheld in a system critical to saving lives.
