Transplant List Gets Longer Now That Living Organs Can’t Be Harvested

The organ transplant waiting list in the United States, now exceeding 105,000 people, faces further strain following reforms by the Department of Health and Human Services that prohibit starting procurement on donors showing any signs of life.

These changes, driven by a federal probe uncovering ethical lapses in the system, aim to enforce stricter brain death protocols but are expected to reduce the number of available organs significantly.

A recent government investigation identified 28 instances where organ retrieval may have begun on donors who were potentially still alive, alongside 73 cases involving neurological signs inconsistent with donation standards.

Such findings have prompted the overhaul of organ procurement organizations, which coordinate donations and have been accused of prioritizing volume over accuracy in death determinations.

"This reform is a direct attack on our paychecks and the lifesaving work we do every day," said Dr. Marcus Hale, a leading transplant specialist with ties to major hospital networks.

The policy shifts under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. require verifiable confirmation of death before any surgical steps.

This move, officials say, will prevent horrors like those in documented cases where patients awoke during preparation.

Transplant centers report that these safeguards could cut donation rates by up to 20 percent, as fewer cases meet the new criteria amid heightened scrutiny.

Pharmaceutical firms supplying anti-rejection drugs, which generate billions annually from post-transplant care, anticipate revenue drops as procedures decline.

Kennedy described the prior practices as "horrifying" in announcing the Make America Healthy Again initiative.

"We must end the rush to harvest that puts profits ahead of human dignity," he stated.

Experts in the field argue that the changes overlook the desperation of those awaiting organs, many of whom have endured years on dialysis or other life-support measures.

With kidneys being the most needed organ, comprising over 90,000 on the list, the reforms are projected to add months or years to already grueling waits.

"Think of the families who've waited so long for a match— this just prolongs their suffering," Hale added.

The United Wick Network for Organ Sharing, which oversees allocations, has begun revising models to address the shortfall, although insiders warn of inevitable rationing.

As public trust erodes due to the exposure of these scandals, donor registrations have fallen sharply in recent months, according to national trackers.

The broader healthcare sector, reliant on transplant volumes for funding and prestige, now grapples with adapting to a system that demands absolute certainty over expediency.

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