STATEMENT FROM DONATION AND TRANSPLANT COMMUNITY
October 24, 2024
We, the undersigned members of the organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplant community, urge the public to pause in drawing conclusions about a broadly publicized Kentucky organ donation case until state and federal authorities complete a thorough investigation.
Widespread media attention of this story has caused an alarming rise in misinformation about the organ donation process, leading people to remove their names from the organ donor registry. This drop in registration directly endangers the lives of thousands of patients who are currently waiting for organ transplants across the United States. We implore Americans to resist taking such action while the actual facts of the Kentucky case are being examined.
Currently, little is known about what occurred in the case which took place three years ago. This lack of clarity has led to speculation by the media and concern by members of the public who are unfamiliar with the process hospitals and Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) must follow to determine if patients are eligible for donation. The process is designed to ensure all stakeholders — OPOs, donor hospitals and transplant centers — uphold high ethical standards and accountability at every stage. Any deviation from these standards is highly concerning and entirely unacceptable to our community.
The appropriate authorities at the state and federal level are actively conducting investigations into the Kentucky case, and we call upon them to complete those probes as swiftly and thoroughly as possible. It is imperative for the facts of this case to be fully vetted and understood for the benefit of the patient, his family, and all Americans whose lives depend on the gift of organ donation.
Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)
Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT)
American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)
Donate Life America (DLA)
Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA)
NATCO – The Organization for Donation and Transplantation Professionals
Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)
