A congressional committee is investigating the New Jersey organ harvesting network following serious allegations, ranging from lack of consent to document manipulation.

In the United States, a House of Representatives committee has launched an in-depth investigation into the New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network following a series of alarming allegations. According to CNN, several whistleblowers claim that the organization manipulated documents, attempted to harvest organs without explicit consent, and engaged in medical procedures deemed unacceptable.

The most shocking case involves a patient in Camden who was initially declared dead but regained consciousness after the organ retrieval process had begun. According to testimonies gathered by the commission and reported by the channel, management encouraged the team to continue despite the situation, until hospital staff stopped the procedure. Some documents related to this case were subsequently deleted or altered.

Suspicions of deception regarding families

Lawmakers also suspect the network of having deceived families about organ donation authorization, of having destroyed hundreds of organs to maintain favorable federal statistics, and of having allocated organs by circumventing the official order of the national waiting list. According to the commission, these practices compromise the integrity of the organ donation system.

This case is part of a series of investigations targeting several organ procurement agencies, some of which have already been sanctioned. CNN reports that these numerous revelations are increasing pressure for a thorough reform of the American transplant system, as Congress demands new documents and is considering legislative measures in the coming months.