RFK Jr. announces decertification of Kentucky organ donor group after numerous problems
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Lexington on Wednesday to announce his office is firing a Kentucky organ donation organization accused of pursuing critically ill patients for their organs.
Kennedy said the decision to decertify the nonprofit was reached after numerous reviews.
“Federal reviewers found serious deficiencies in nearly 30 percent of the cases that they examined,” Kennedy said at a press conference at the University of Kentucky. “We found patients placed on the organ donation pathway who should have never been there. We found cases where the donation process continued despite signs that patients were not appropriate organ donors. We found repeated failures in clinical judgment, oversight and patient safety, and we found that these problems continued even after the organization promised to correct them.”
Also attending the conference was T.J. Hoover, who was declared brain dead after a drug overdose. His sister, Donna Rhorer, said yesterday that Hoover was being prepped for organ donation when he began to thrash on the operating table. She said the doctors still wanted to move forward.
“My brother almost died that day,” Rhorer said. “That should never happen to anyone. Those responsible must be held accountable.”
Hoover’s case was one of many documented by the New York Times in a series last year about premature attempts to remove organs.
Officials at Network for Hope, which has offices in Louisville and Cincinnati and serves patients throughout the region, did not return calls for comment on Wednesday.
“Most organ procurement organizations carry out this work with professionalism, compassion and deep respect for both donors and recipients,” Kennedy said. “A Network For Hope repeatedly failed to meet those standards. It was a bad apple – an organization entrusted with the gift of life repeatedly put patients at risk. The federal government has the duty to act, and that’s why we’re acting today.”
Earlier in the day, Kennedy met with elected officials, including numerous state senators, to talk about nutrition education in medical school curricula.
Also while he was in Kentucky, he attended a fundraiser for Ralph Alvarado, who is the Republican running for the U.S. House in the 6th Congressional District.
“Mr. Kennedy, in his personal capacity, was kind enough to take a few moments out of his busy schedule to speak to a group of our supporters on Dr. Alvarado’s behalf. We are grateful for his support and cannot thank him enough for taking the time to join us yesterday,” said Andrew Westberry, a spokesperson for Alvarado’s campaign.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Linda Blackford for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.