A new investigation reveals that hospitals and organ procurement groups, pushed by federal targets to boost transplant numbers, are cutting corners in the donation process—sometimes with dangerous consequences for patients. Reporter Brian M. Rosenthal uncovers cases where the rush to secure organs has overridden proper medical judgment, leaving vulnerable people worse off.

Editor’s Note: Organ donation is supposed to save lives, but when the system prioritizes quotas over patient care, trust erodes. This isn’t just bureaucratic failure—it’s about real people suffering because of pressure to hit transplant benchmarks. If the system can’t balance urgency with ethics, it risks undermining the very purpose of donation.