OPTN/UNOS Policy Proposals for Public Comment DUE FRIDAY, 12/23!

[WilliamLFreeman]

Y'all,  Below is the text of the e-mail UNOS sent out this a.m.   The proposed policies from the Living Donor Committtee [& thus likely to be of more interest to LDOers] are #s: 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 31, 42, 43, 50, 51, and 61.  Bill

This document contains fourteen policy proposals being offered for public comment. These proposals were developed by OPTN/UNOS committees. When the public comment period ends on December 23, 2011, each sponsoring committee will review the feedback they receive and consider modifications to the original proposals. The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors may then review and vote on these proposals at its meeting on June 25-26, 2012.

We welcome your feedback on this policy proposal and other aspects of the public comment process as we continue to improve the way that we communicate with the community.

Please note that all exhibits and appendices to these proposals can be found on the OPTN website via the link below.

Please click on the following link to provide your comments on these proposal:

http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/policiesAndBylaws/publicComment/proposals.asp

You may also send general feedback to publiccomment@unos.org

Please submit all comments no later than December 23, 2011. For questions about the proposal, please contact your Regional Administrator at (804) 782-4800.

Thank you in advance for your careful review and feedback on this proposal.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO ALL PUBLIC COMMENT USERS RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT MAILINGS:

Effective immediately, we are phasing out printed copies of the public comment document. This will help us greatly reduce our costs and improve the way the OPTN operates. If you are not affiliated with a UNOS member organization or if you do not have access to e-mail, we will continue to mail you a printed copy of the document. All members, however, will need to access the public comment document on the OPTN website. If you have questions about how to access the online document or are uncertain how to submit your feedback, call us at (804) 782-4813.

[WilliamLFreeman]

Y'all,
A correction.  (I had not looked at the "expiration date" for Public Comments on the proposals.)  For many proposals I had listed, the the Public Comment period has already ended.  Those proposals related to living organ donation for which the Public Comment period is open are #s:
   8, 9, 10
The Public Comment period for those 3 proposals ends 12/23/2001.
Bill

[Clark]

Thanks, Bill!  FYI, y'all, I'm sure Bill meant, "The Public Comment period for those 3 proposals ends 12/23/2011."  Do send your thoughts, do post them here, do discuss them before and after.  Thanks!

[Clark]

http://www.transplantliving.org/community/news.aspx?id=1518

Educational Webinar to Address Liver Policy Proposals

Among the 14 Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) policy and bylaw proposals currently being circulated for public comment, two are intended to broaden access to donated livers for urgent transplant candidates. One proposal recommends offering livers to candidates with MELD/PELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease/Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease) scores of 15 or higher at a national level after local and regional candidates with similar scores and all candidates in Status 1A and 1B are considered. The other proposal recommends that livers be offered to combined local and regional candidates with MELD/PELD scores of 35 and higher after Status 1 candidates are considered.

The OPTN/UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) Liver and Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee will host a free educational webinar on Tuesday, October 20, at 4 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Central/2 p.m. Mountain/1 p.m. Pacific time. Anyone interested in these proposals may participate to learn more about how they were developed and why the committee believes they will improve transplant access.

Advance registration is required to ensure enough ports are available for participants. Audio content will be provided by phone; to view the visual content, participants will also need to have a computer with Internet access. If you cannot participate in the live session, the webinar will be recorded and will be available for later viewing on the Internet. A separate announcement will provide information on how you can access the recording.

Click here to register for the webinar or learn more about it.

https://unos.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=9471

[Donna Luebke]

What is happening with the 'split' liver issue?  Is my understanding that the entire liver belongs to the first person--and they have to agree to take a split liver.  I know some Donation Service Areas are splitting already.  This issue was discussed at a past ACOT meeting. There was no allocation policy for this.  If it were to happen nationally, how would the public be educated?  In my sister's case, I told them all or none. Some recipients are too sick to handle a partial liver. 

Another question:  What happens if the current policy proposals for Donor Evaluation, Consent or Followup do get approved?  Back to the drawing Board? The professional Societies were to get this done since the transplant surgeons did not like 'lay people' or the Feds telling them what to do.  so they had their chance and they failed??  Some of the international bioethics students I taught in the past said in their country, the surgeon has no say.  A committee evaluates, determines suitability, and because they have universal health care--donors are followed.  The surgeon's only role is on the day of surgery. 

Will HRSA take a tougher stance?  What about involving the ACOT and the office of the Asst Sec of DHHS.  There are 12 health agencies under the Asst Secretary who could intervene to support HRSA on this effort.  Maybe the donors themselves should lead on this.  Many of us I do not consider lay people (what an insult) since many are experts in their own fields.  As I told one surgeon;  'just because you can take out a kidney or put one in, does not make you an expert in live donation.' 

Maybe time for a moratorium on live organ donatiion until there is a standard for evalaution, consent and aftercare.  Stop their money flow and watch them get something done.  We are half or more the total donor pool at some transplant centers.  If they cannot transplant, they cannot stay  in business.