HHS Launches Initiative to Reform Organ Transplant System Amid Disturbing Findings

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced a sweeping initiative to reform the organ transplant system following an investigation that uncovered "disturbing practices." The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a division of HHS, has ordered the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to review a case involving the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KYDA), a federally-funded organ procurement organization.
Kennedy described the findings as "horrifying," noting that hospitals allowed the organ procurement process to begin in cases where patients showed signs of life. "The entire system must be fixed to ensure that every potential donor’s life is treated with the sanctity it deserves," he said.
The review was prompted by claims from a former KYDA employee that in 2021, a patient was inaccurately pronounced brain dead and pursued as an organ donor despite displaying clear signs of life. HRSA's investigation revealed "clear negligence" in 103 cases, including instances where patients exhibited neurological signs "not conducive" to organ procurement, such as pain or discomfort. Additionally, at least 28 patients had no recorded time of cardiac death, suggesting they were not deceased when the procurement process began.
HRSA has instructed OPTN to develop a yearlong plan to address these issues, including improved documentation of patients' neurologic status, due in 30 days. Kennedy has also required OPTN to implement "minimum safety standards" for neurologically injured patients and develop new policies to enhance safety and transparency for potential donors and their families.
The findings underscore the need for reforms to protect vulnerable patients and restore trust in the organ transplant system. Currently, over 103,000 people await organ transplants, with 48,000 procedures performed in 2024.

Published: 7/22/2025