An investigation by The New York Times revealed that the U.S. organ transplant system has been compromised by profit motives, favoritism, and weak oversight, harming patients. The reporting uncovered widespread rule violations and ethical lapses, prompting major reforms, stricter safety policies, and government investigations to restore fairness and accountability.
Judges’ comments:
The New York Times exposed how the system for distributing organs for transplantation has failed to keep its promise to care for those most in need first, instead favoring certain hospitals and foreign patients. The series included indelible accounts of attempts to harvest organs from people who were not quite dead. With extensive data analysis, compelling storytelling, lucid explanations, and cool graphics, the series spurred outrage — and resulted in immediate changes.