RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two entities dedicated to fighting to save lives through organ transplant operations are now fighting with each other.
Buckeye Transplant Services filed a lawsuit against the United Network for Organ Sharing — or UNOS — on July 3 after the Richmond-based non-profit accused the transplant screening service of putting donor and patient privacy at risk.
UNOS claimed Buckeye did so by using technology to gain unauthorized, improper access to a DonorNet database. Buckeye denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the company has always complied with data accessibility protocol.
In a statement on its website, the company said, “Buckeye does not have or want unrestricted access to OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) data.”
This isn’t UNOS’s first controversy, but the reason this particular debate has become high-profile is due to rumors that it could impact transplant operations. Prior to the lawsuit, UNOS threatened to cut off Buckeye’s access to data necessary for its operation. UNOS still insists that no transplant program will experience any interruptions in receiving organ offers as a result of the dispute.
However, Buckeye warned that if it loses access to crucial data, 63 hospitals across the country — two in Virginia — could have to take on extra burdens.
One of those healthcare systems, the University of Virginia’s Transplant Center, told 8News that its team is closely monitoring the situation and is already coming up with plans to prevent any legal hiccups from interrupting the lifesaving organ donation process.
A spokesperson for the Health Resources and Services Administration told the Washington Post that the federal agency would step in if disruptions to transplant surgeries occurred as a result of this dispute.
Organ donation and transplants are high-stakes, delicate elements of healthcare. As of June 30, nearly 3,000 people remain waitlisted for such donations in Virginia alone. It’s also worth noting UNOS’s multimillion-dollar contract with the federal government is looming expiration later this year.
In terms of a timeline, this dispute has actually been going on behind the scenes for months. It drew greater public attention in parallel with Buckeye’s formal filing of the lawsuit on July 3. UNOS has since deferred further action until July 19 when a federal court is set to make a decision. For the time being, Buckeye maintains access to data needed to provide its services.
