Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arrives before a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on President Donald Trump’s health care agenda at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 4. Kennedy’s agency announced Thursday that it will decertify a major organ donation and transplant program. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) — The Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday that it will decertify an organ procurement organization following an investigation that found years of unsafe practices in a number of areas.
A report from the HHS found poor training, chronic underperformance, understaffing and paperwork errors.
“In one 2024 case, a mistake led a surgeon to decline a donated heart for a patient awaiting transplant surgery,” a release from the agency said.
The desertification of the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, which is part of the University of Miami Health System, is among HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ‘s reform efforts announced in July.
The investigation found that in one organ recovery program, at least 28 patients may have still been alive while organs were already being prepared for transplant, the release said.
“73 patients showed neurological signs incompatible with donation, and the Biden administration had closed its own investigation without action,” the release continued.
The release claimed a “disregard for the sanctity of human life” within the transplant system, and said that poses a threat to prospective donors and recipients.
“Nearly 100,000 Americans are currently on transplant waitlists, and an average of 13 patients die each day waiting for an organ, even as more than 28,000 donated organs go unmatched every year,” the release said.
HHS said it aims to restore integrity in the Organ Procurement and Translation Network by preventing line-skipping in organ allocation, creating an independent board to oversee organ procurement and transplant procedures, strengthening the misconduct reporting system by providing a channel for patients and providers to report safety concerns quickly.
It also said a new transparency tool will show when organs are donated outside of a standard match list, and has proposed removing DEI guidelines to ensure fairness.
He is said to have suffered complications while undergoing the hair transplant procedure.
His body was later taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy before being repatriated to the UK.
Police have launched a probe, treating the case as a possible “reckless homicide”.
Staff at the clinic — including the surgeon who performed the hair transplant, the anaesthesiologist and nurses — have already been quizzed by officers, it is understood.
An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Tributes are now pouring in from friends and family for Mr Latchman, whose body has since been flown home.
Yashley Latchman posted a picture of keen athlete Mr Latchman on Facebook with the pair working out in a gym.
The caption read: “Rest in peace my brother. You will forever be my source of inspiration and motivation.
“Thanks for everything. We will miss you loads.”
Love Island’s Ben reveals hair transplant at just 22 years old with before and after video
Other family members turned their profiles black in a sign of mourning for Mr Latchman, who was originally from Bridgend but lived in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
According to Dr Cinik Clinic’s website, it has treated “more than 50,000 patients” since setting up almost 20 years ago.
The website says the clinic has “cutting-edge technology” and is a “centre of excellence in this specialised field”.
It adds: “Every patient gets personalised care in English, plus access to cutting-edge techniques.
“The combination of surgical experience and patient support has made him the go-to specialist for people worldwide.”
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Brit underwent a five-hour operation at the Dr Clinik’s clinic (pictured)
The tragedy comes amid a boom in “medical tourism” to Turkey, which now accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the global hair transplant market thanks to its cheaper, high-quality procedures.
Turkish Healthcare Travel Council says more than one million people travel to the country each year for hair restoration treatments.
According to Dr. Serkan Aygin Clinic, numbers are expected to climb to 1.1 million in 2025, the Daily Mail reports.
It follows the shocking death of 58-year-old British mum Anne Towlson, who passed away last year after a botched cosmetic surgery trip to Istanbul.
Mrs Towlson, from Leicestershire, had flown to Turkey in April 2024 for a pre-planned tummy tuck and liposuction at Green Park Hospital in Pendik.
When she arrived, doctors persuaded her to also undergo an arm tuck in a “last-minute decision”, her inquest heard.
Luke Horsfield, then 26, paid £1,250 for the surgery at the Clinic Centre — around half the cost of a UK procedure — but said the results were disastrous.
“I did everything they told me to do as aftercare once I had the operation. But after four months, I saw literally no growth,” the IT technician from Bradford said.
“I was left with scars and bald patches.”
Luke claimed the surgeons barely spoke English and had removed too many follicles from the back of his head, leaving him worse off than before.
Despite the clinic’s promise of “transplant after care”, he said he struggled to get hold of anyone once the operation was over.
After months of disappointment, the clinic eventually offered him a £400 refund — barely a third of what he had paid — and a second procedure at half price.
Luke later had the damage repaired at a Yorkshire clinic.
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The tragedy comes amid a boom in ‘medical tourism’ to Turkey (file picture)Credit: Getty
