Organ group pushed for harvesting from N.J. patient despite signs of life, whistleblowers allege
After whistleblowers accused a large New Jersey organ procurement business of serious malpractice, including proceeding with an organ recovery process while a patient showed signs of life, the group is under federal investigation. Congress is investigating the charges, which raise worries about the state’s organ donation system’s safety and transparency.
The NJ Sharing Network, a charity that coordinates organ and tissue recovery with dozens of New Jersey institutions, is under investigation. Key U.S. officials wrote to the organization’s leadership. Nearly a dozen former and current staffers have accused the House Ways and Means Committee of fraud, evidence manipulation, and medical and ethical infractions.
The group’s president and CEO are informed that investigators have found serious public trust violations. Lawmakers fear the material provided may violate federal regulations and imperil the organization’s tax-exempt status. The claims are alarming enough to spark discussions about legislative reform to improve organ procurement organization monitoring nationwide, committee chairmen said.
The reports include a troubling Camden hospital occurrence when a declared organ donor began displaying signs of life during organ recovery preparation. According to whistleblowers, organ procurement agency staff were told to continue the procedure despite the patient’s unexpected movements. Hospital staff stopped the operation.
The whistleblowers also claim that the organization misrepresented state motor vehicle records to coerce families into donating after updating their licenses. Federal investigators also believe the group skipped the national transplant waiting list, sending organs out of order and potentially depriving patients of life-saving transplants.
Over 100,000 Americans are waiting for organ transplants, prioritized by medical necessity and survival. Federal experts warn that bypassing the national sequence can cause delays, health problems, and unnecessary fatalities. The committee heard that some New Jersey patients were skipped in favor of others, and others died while on the list.
Other claims include neglecting to disclose a mass disposal of over 100 pancreata in one day last year, destroying internal records, and misinforming congressional officials.
The House Ways and Means Committee has requested records and interviews with more than 30 employees. The group has until early December to respond. Its leadership has not addressed the charges or probe.
Families that support organ donation and trust medical precautions are worried. Last year, the US reported a record number of organ transplants, reflecting decades of public education and scientific development. These latest charges show how much supervision is required to ensure donor fairness, safety, and openness, say federal lawmakers.
More information is expected in the following weeks about the inquiry.
Sources:
Congressional correspondence and whistleblower statements provided to federal investigators.
