'That's Euthanasia': Gary Palmer Grills HHS Official On Premature Removals By Organ Procurement Orgs

Forbes Breaking News

During a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) spoke about an Health Resources and Services Administration investigation into the organ donation system.

Transcript

00:00And as the former chairman, I want to congratulate you on chairing the committee,

00:07and I know it's going to function extremely well.

00:10Mr. Lynch, in your written testimony, I want to read something, and I quote,

00:16as HRSA was directing the OPTN to conduct the review of KYDA practices,

00:21an industry trade group, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations,

00:25publicized an open letter characterizing the ongoing effort to improve patient safety

00:30through enhanced oversight as a misinformation conspiracy campaign

00:35and concluded it is time for it to stop.

00:38And it was signed by more than 20 of the UNO staff.

00:44Would that letter constitute an attempt to obstruct HRSA's investigation?

00:50The legal definition of obstruct, I don't believe I would be the most important.

00:53I don't, I'm not talking about a legal definition.

00:58It was concerning to HRSA that numerous high-ranking members of the contractor

01:02and members of the OPTN board did sign that.

01:06And in the review committee that we directed the OPTN to undertake,

01:10we asked that nobody who was a signer to that be a part.

01:14But basically, they were saying there's nothing to be seen here.

01:19That's correct.

01:20Okay, but that's not the first time you've had issues.

01:24Your written testimony also notes that historically,

01:26HRSA did not receive complete consistent and at times accurate information

01:30regarding patient safety and complaints

01:32and concerns raised by the OPTN members and other stakeholders.

01:37So if there's any consistency here,

01:39it's a consistency in trying to shield what they were actually doing.

01:46So one of the problems with having a single contractor environment

01:50is that if it's responsible for devising the policies,

01:53anything that's happening that's out of compliance with the policies

01:56could be seen as a failure of that first process.

01:59But what I'm, I'm not trying to necessarily throw people under the bus

02:04because I'm an Oregon donor.

02:06It's on my driver's license.

02:07And I realize the consequence of this.

02:09We had a lot of discussion about this before we ever had the hearing.

02:12But at the same time, we've got a responsibility to make sure that people know

02:16that this process will be conducted humanely,

02:19that it will be conducted legally,

02:22and that the people who are doing it have at the very minimal

02:27the best interest of the individual donor and the families that are involved.

02:32And from your own written testimony and from the report from HRSA,

02:37I mean, there's multiple instances here where it appears that they were,

02:43I use the word obstruct,

02:45but clearly impeding an effort to expose some major problems,

02:51particularly in Kentucky.

02:52We are, we have a plan which is already in place to prevent that in the future,

02:57which includes making sure that...

02:59I understand, but what I'm trying to say is,

03:01is that we're in, we're trying to conduct an oversight hearing

03:04to reach, to come up with some solutions,

03:07which I think your efforts are excellent from what I've read.

03:11And that's exactly what you're trying to do.

03:13But I think there's got to be some accountability.

03:16There are clearly some, some things that happened that,

03:19that I think could constitute euthanasia.

03:23I mean, if the patient's dying,

03:25but they, they take the patient's organs before they die,

03:29that, that's euthanasia.

03:31When, when we identify conduct that we find is at odds

03:37with the OPTN contractor's duty,

03:39we have notified them of the expectation to perform better.

03:43Well, again, as I, we had this discussion before we had,

03:48had this hearing,

03:49we want to make sure that,

03:51that the American public knows that if they are willing to become an organ donor,

03:55they're going to be treated humanely and legally,

03:59and that the family's wishes will be respected,

04:01and that you're not going to have these horrible situations like we've seen here in Kentucky

04:07and in some other places, frankly.

04:09And my main concern is that you're able to do your oversight function without interference from anyone.

04:19I really am disappointed that 20 people signed this letter,

04:23which to me constitutes obstruction of, of a legitimate investigation,

04:28which the investigation uncovered some serious, serious problems.

04:31And I just want to know if there's any consequences that anyone will be held responsible for,

04:40for what, for how they conducted this.

04:43And, and going on reading through your, your testimony,

04:46there are other examples where, where you weren't given accurate information.

04:50I don't, I won't say that, that it was fraudulent,

04:52but it was clearly intended to, to not reach the conclusion that you needed to reach.

04:59So when we identify a deficiency, we do communicate that in the contracting manner.

05:04But what are the consequences?

05:07As a non-contracting expert, there is a, a stepwise progression in noting a government contractor's ability

05:13to perform its functions effectively.

05:15The consequence that is within my direct scope is that we do not take these things on faith.

05:21We are trying to make sure that this is something that the government has the accountability.

05:25We have now the resources to, to get this done.

05:28So we double check the work.

05:31My time is expired.

05:32Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Category

Transcript

Recommended