Federal regulators have proposed a major overhaul of the system for allocating human organs for transplantation.
The Health Resources and Services Administration outlined plans on Wednesday to reorganize the federal Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which the Joint Organ Sharing Network, also known as UNOS, proprietary management. This policy will invite other organizations to participate in the organ system, ending the virtual monopoly of UNOS.
According to an HRSA news release, having multiple bidders strengthens the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network and “boosts competition.” [Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network]. HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson said in the press release that the individuals and families who depend on this lifesaving work deserve no less.
UNOS endorsed this proposal. “UNOS supports HRSA’s plan to introduce additional reforms to the nation’s organ donation and transplant system. We also agree with HRSA in our shared goal of bringing in as many donated organs as possible. available to patients in need as much as possible while promoting accountability, transparency, and oversight.” nonprofit organization said in a press release. “We welcome the next open and competitive bidding process [Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network] contracts to advance our efforts to save as many lives as possible, as equitably as possible. We believe we have the experience and expertise needed to best serve patients nationally and help deliver on initiatives proposed by HRSA.”
President Joe Biden prioritized organ transplants in his fiscal 2024 budget request, asking Congress to nearly double the amount the United States spends on the system to $67 million. The White House also proposed that lawmakers update the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 to remove the program’s budget cap. Biden Administration Proposals Follow Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Regulations issued in 2020 under President Donald Trump is designed to increase the availability of organs for transplantation.
According to UNOS, more than 42,800 organ transplants took place in the US last year. About 104,000 people are currently on the waiting list for organs, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
Nancy Foster, vice president for quality policy and patient safety at the American Hospital Association, says how this initiative will impact transplant and donor hospitals. organ without further information from HRSA. HRSA appears to have heeded calls from Congress and others to split the responsibilities of organ distribution among multiple organizations, she said, rather than relying solely on UNOS.
