A huge hit for the University of Miami Health System.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announcing it is moving to decertify its Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency.
The department claims there have been "years of unsafe practices, poor training, chronic underperformance, understaffing, and paperwork errors."
It points to one case last year where a mistake led to a surgeon declining to give a donated heart to a patient.
The Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency released this statement in response to the HHS move:
"The top priority of the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency (LAORA) has always been safe, respectful, and compliant organ donation practices. We are aware of the decision issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and of the agency’s investigations into organ procurement practices across the country. We will cooperate fully with HHS to ensure a smooth transition and will not appeal. We hope that other OPOs follow suit in putting patients first. Our focus remains on protecting the dignity of donors, supporting their families, and advancing the life-saving mission of organ transplantation."