Dispute Over Database Use Could Disrupt US Organ Transplant System
"The flow of lifesaving organs to 63 U.S. transplant centers could be disrupted..." reported the Washington Post on Monday, "by a dispute over the use of data." Or, as a local news station WRIC puts it, "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... 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. Buckeye was involved in over 13% of America's organ transplants in 2022, according to figures cited by the Washington Post. "Buckeye said it is doing nothing wrong," according to the article, "and that other organizations across the transplant system act similarly." Meanwhile, UNOS's general counsel "stressed that cutting off Buckeye is a last resort in a negotiation that has been underway for two months," the Washington Post reported."Certain features of Buckeye's electronic systems are capable of and have collected from UNOS systems various large volumes of patient-specific and facility-specific information related to transplant services," a UNOS attorney wrote to Buckeye on June 21. Livingston, the UNOS general counsel, said in an interview that the data belongs to UNOS and that transplant centers are able to obtain it from the organization if they want it. But Buckeye is not allowed to collect it in bulk and sell it to its customers. He said if Buckeye retrieves and "scrapes" the data, UNOS does not know how well it is secured, whether it is being "misused or mishandled" and how it is being stored. He also said Buckeye could create an alternate database with the information. On Tuesday the Washington Post reported that UNOS had issued a two-week extension (through July 19):Anne Paschke, a spokesperson for UNOS, said the group provided the extension to "allow the court an appropriate amount of time" to consider the company's request for a temp restraining order. "We are confident in our position," Paschke said... Buckeye sued UNOS in federal court on Monday seeking an injunction that would stop the nonprofit group from blocking its access to the national transplant database system... [The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration] unveiled plans in March to overhaul the transplant system, including changes to the 37-year monopoly UNOS has held as manager of the organ database... Buckeye is potentially interested in bidding for a part of the contract UNOS now holds, according to company representatives. Its lawsuit contends UNOS "has monopolistic intent to squash the development of technology that could eventually supplant" the UNOS transplant system. Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader belmolis for sharing the article.
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