US launches crackdown on organ donation network over safety failures

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched proceedings to revoke the accreditation of Network for Hope following a federal review that uncovered serious violations in nearly 30% of cases.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the review identified problems including errors in medical decision-making and failures in patient safety protocols, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Network for Hope CEO Barry Massa said the organization “categorically disagrees” with the decision and plans to appeal.

Massa said the organization serves approximately 7 million people across four states and warned that the loss of its accreditation could affect more than 3,000 patients currently awaiting organ transplants.

Network for Hope operates in Kentucky and has a presence in parts of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. It is the second organ recovery organization to face such action from federal authorities. Earlier, HHS shut down the Miami-based Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency over what officials described as years of violations and unsafe practices.

The moves are part of a broader effort by US authorities to overhaul the country’s organ transplantation system and strengthen oversight of organizations involved in organ recovery and donation.

Kennedy said proposed reforms would include provisions allowing any employee to halt a donation procedure if they have concerns about a patient’s safety. The rules would also establish clearer protocols governing when procedures should begin and the criteria for determining whether a patient is eligible to become an organ donor.

The administration has argued that tighter oversight is needed to improve patient safety and accountability across the organ donation system.

By Vafa Guliyeva