Additional Coverage:
- Kentucky man’s organs were nearly harvested. Then doctors realized he was still alive (newsbreak.com)
Kentucky Man’s Organs Saved after Erroneous Death Declaration
A Kentucky man’s organs were about to be harvested for donation when medical staff realized he was still alive. The patient, identified as Anthony Thomas “TJ” Hoover II, had been declared brain dead after suffering a drug overdose.
In the operating room, Hoover began moving and crying. Two doctors refused to proceed with the organ retrieval, believing Hoover had been wrongly declared dead. Hoover was then moved back to the hospital, where he now lives with his sister.
The incident has raised concerns about the accuracy of death declarations in organ donation cases. KODA, the organ donation organization involved, maintains that no living patients have ever had their organs harvested. However, some employees have resigned after the incident.
Another witness at a Congressional hearing revealed a similar near-miss incident. Dr.
Robert Cannon described a case where an anesthetist believed a brain-dead patient was breathing. The administrator dismissed the concern as a reflex, but the surgery was halted to avoid killing the patient.
The Biden administration is planning to overhaul the organ procurement system to improve transparency and accountability. The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office is also investigating the Hoover case.
Hoover’s sister expressed anger and mistrust over the incident, saying, “They are trying to play God.”