The nonprofit that runs the U.S. organ transplant system may revoke access to an organ-screening company over a dispute about transplant data, which could disrupt the flow of organs to dozens of transplant centers.
The United Network for Organ Sharing gave Buckeye Transplant Services until Wednesday to comply with their demands for the use of transplant data, or else the company will lose access to DonorNet, the computer network that coordinates organ transplants across the country.
Buckeye services 63 transplant centers that rely on the company to evaluate organs for size, condition, and patient compatibility.
Buckeye president Jared Ackley told The Washington Post that "people would die" if the company's access were revoked.
"Transplant centers do not have the bandwidth to, at the flip of a switch, take all this back in," he added. "It may sound sensational, but people would likely die."
UNOS contends that Buckeye developed an automatic tool that retrieves data from their computers that does not belong to the company, and the nonprofit says it cannot ensure that this data remains secure or that it's being used appropriately.
Buckeye argues that it has not acted improperly and that other organizations involved in organ transplant act similarly. It has since filed a lawsuit in federal court in Virginia to prohibit UNOS from suspending its access to the network.
Jason Livingston, general counsel for UNOS, told the Post that removing Buckeye's access would be a last resort, noting that negotiations have been under way for about two months. He also acknowledged that this could cause delays and place strain on hospital staff, adding, "We certainly hope" it won't happen, "but I can't make any guarantees."