A federal investigation has found that Network for Hope, an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) serving Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, approved organ retrieval from patients who still showed signs of life. The probe revealed that out of 351 incomplete approvals, seventy-three patients displayed neurological activity that should have disqualified them as donors. At least twenty-eight may not have been legally dead when the organ retrieval process began.
One case involved a patient who was crying and moving while being prepared for extraction. Congressman Neal Dunn (R-FL) commented on the incident: “more fitting for a horror movie than a congressional hearing, frankly.” That patient survived.
The United States system for organ donation relies on regional OPOs with exclusive control over specific geographic areas. Hospitals are required to notify the OPO when someone dies or is nearing death. The OPO then determines eligibility and coordinates consent and removal of organs.
The federal investigation identified several issues at Network for Hope: faulty neurological assessments, unclear or questionable consent, misclassifications of death, and pressure on doctors to proceed despite warning signs. Many incidents involved “donation after circulatory death,” where the heart has stopped but some brain activity remains. This type of donation has increased nationwide since 2021.
Public response has been significant. Thousands have removed their names from state donor registries amid concerns about premature organ retrievals. Social media users have shared stories about withdrawing support for organ donation due to fears about the reliability of death determinations.
In response to these findings, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that Network for Hope could be decertified unless it adopts reforms such as clear donor eligibility rules, comprehensive reviews after failures, and policies allowing staff to halt procedures if safety is in question. The National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network will now track and report all instances where procedures are stopped due to safety concerns.
Despite these requirements, a coalition of OPOs has filed suit against the federal government to block the new rules, arguing they are unlawful and could lead to widespread decertification.
Network for Hope’s financial disclosures show it had $52.65 million in revenue in 2023 with $51.23 million in expenses and a surplus of $1.42 million. It reported $47.45 million in assets against $21.95 million in liabilities and paid executives $1.45 million during that year.
There are currently more than 100,000 Americans waiting for an organ transplant; dozens die each day without receiving one (https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/). Experts warn that scandals like this may reduce registrations further, worsening shortages and increasing deaths among those waiting.
“Those waiting for a healthy organ don’t have that kind of time.”
