House Unveils Widespread Failures in Organ Transplant System

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, revealed on Tuesday that ongoing investigations into organ procurement organizations are intensifying due to new whistleblower reports and alarming testimony.

Lawmakers are probing a growing list of failures within the nation’s organ donation system. This push coincided with a hearing titled “Lives at Stake: Holding Tax-Exempt Organ Procurement Organizations Accountable.”

Testimony presented detailed harrowing accounts including cancerous organs transplanted into patients, organs that were abandoned or improperly discarded, and attempts to harvest organs from individuals who had not yet passed away.

Smith emphasized the severity of these findings. “We’re finding all kinds of stuff — whether it’s ensuring proper organ scanning procedures exist, preventing fraud on taxpayer funds like Medicare, or addressing blatant misuse.”

The concerns extend beyond questionable practices already under scrutiny. Whistleblower Heather Knuckles shared her mother’s experience receiving an organ later found to be cancerous. Martin described cases where organs were harvested from patients showing vital signs and mentioned a 103-case error rate over nearly five months in one jurisdiction.

“These issues require strict scrutiny,” Smith stated, calling the failures “absolutely unacceptable.” He stressed that both donors and recipients must feel safe within this critical system, which handles tens of thousands of transplants annually.