Organ Donation Agency Could Be First Ever Shut Down by U.S. Government

Key TakeawaysFederal officials are shutting down Miami’s Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency over safety issuesProblems included missed donations, wrong organ deliveries and staff shortagesMore than 100,000 Americans are waiting for transplants; thousands die each year before one becomes available, data shows.FRIDAY, Sept. 19, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Federal health officials have moved to close down a Miami-based organ donation agency, citing unsafe practices, missed donations and critical paperwork errors.The Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, part of the University of Miami Health System, is one of 55 nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States. These groups recover organs from deceased donors and match them with patients in need of transplants.According to a new report from The Associated Press, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said its investigation uncovered several problems, including donated organs being sent to the wrong place, missed opportunities to recover organs and understaffing. Officials also pointed to a 2024 case where a paperwork error caused a surgeon to turn down a donated heart for a patient waiting for surgery.The agency could become the first OPO ever decertified by the federal government.Life Alliance has the right to appeal the decision. The agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment, The Associated Press said.More than 100,000 people in the United States are currently on the transplant waiting list and thousands die each year before an organ becomes available, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Last year, there were over 48,000 transplants nationwide with the vast majority from deceased donors, according to the federal data.Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of CMS, said the move is part of broader efforts to improve the transplant system.“Congress has thoughtfully and aggressively pursued some horrifying stories that have chilled some Americans’ enthusiasm for donating organs. We are here today to tell you this system is safe. It’s rigorously being addressed,” he said in a news release, adding, “I want to applaud the OPOs that are doing a great job because most are.”More informationThe United Network for Organ Sharing has more on organ donations.SOURCE: The Associated Press, Sept. 18, 2025.What This Means For YouOrgan donation saves thousands of lives each year, but safety issues can lead to missed opportunities..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter