Biden Administration Launches Overhaul of Organ-Transplant System

[Clark]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-launches-overhaul-of-organ-transplant-system-db630110



Biden Administration Launches Overhaul of Organ-Transplant System
Current system has drawn complaints for long wait times, wasted donations
By Stephanie Armour

March 22, 2023

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced initiatives aimed at transforming the U.S. organ-procurement system, adding more competition to improve transparency and accountability. The Health Resources and Services Administration said it would solicit multiple contracts for managing and improving the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which was established by Congress in 1984 and manages the nation’s organ-transplant system under contract with the federal government. Soliciting multiple contracts could likely lead to breaking up the United Network for Organ Sharing, or UNOS, a nonprofit that administers the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network…

[Michael]

Other news reporting and analysis on this topic:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/biden-administration-proposes-overhaul-of-organ-transplant-system

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/politics/organ-transplants-biden.html

https://www.kidney.org/news/lack-government-accountability-and-oversight-costing-lives-0

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/gift-of-life-michigan-welcomes-federal-attempt-at-improving-organ-transplant-system

[Clark]

https://unos.org/news/unos-welcomes-competitive-bidding-process-for-next-optn-contract/

UNOS welcomes competitive bidding process for next OPTN contract

UNOS supports Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) plan to introduce additional reforms into the nation’s organ donation and transplantation system. We also stand united with HRSA in our shared goal to get as many donor organs as possible to patients in need while increasing accountability, transparency and oversight.

We welcome a competitive and open bidding process for the next Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) contract to advance our efforts to save as many lives as possible, as equitably as possible. We believe we have the experience and expertise required to best serve the nation’s patients and to help implement HRSA’s proposed initiatives.

Numerous components of HRSA’s plan also align with our new action agenda, which is a list of specific proposals we outlined earlier this year aimed at driving improvement across the system.

We are committed to working with HRSA, U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS), Congress and others who care about this system so deeply to assist in carrying out these reforms and to do our part to improve how we serve America’s organ donors, transplant patients and their families.