Statement from HRSA Administrator on Passage of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Carole Johnson released this statement following Thursday’s passage of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act; the Senate passed the bill Thursday evening.
“The Health Resources and Services Administration shares Congress’ goal of making the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) work better for the more than 100,000 people on the waiting list for organs. Individuals on the wait list, organ donors, and their families deserve an OPTN governed by an independent, representative board and supported by best-in-class technology, processes, policy, and people. As HRSA announced in March, through our OPTN Modernization Initiative, we are leaning in and taking action to make this a reality.”
“We commend bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate for passing legislation to give HRSA stronger tools to execute this vision. We look forward to quickly implementing these policy changes and will continue working with Congress to secure the funding increase included in the President’s Budget to support this vital reform.”
HRSA’s Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Modernization Initiative
The modernization initiative will encompass all functions of the OPTN, inclusive of IT and non-IT related activities. As part of the initial phase of the OPTN Modernization Initiative, HRSA is announcing the following actions:
- Build Capacity for Modernization – HRSA is building its capacity to support a modernized OPTN and will be engaging a Program Management Support contractor to assist in the modernization in addition to more than doubling resources available to support the initiative in its FY 2024 President’s Budget request.
- Make Data Available for Critical Decision Making – To assist patients, clinicians, and researchers, HRSA is publishing organ donation and transplantation data to improve data transparency and decision-making.
- Engage Stakeholders – HRSA will engage a diverse group of stakeholders early and often to identify and prioritize pressing areas of need for patients and clinicians.
- Improve OPTN functionality – In the next Request for Proposal (RFP), move towards separating OPTN support functions, which may include Board governance, OPTN operations, and IT systems. This approach will diversify the field of potential contractors, encouraging improved functionality through greater competition and innovation.
If you would like to provide feedback to HRSA about the OPTN Modernization Initiative, you may contact them at this link: Contact HRSA about the OPTN Modernization Initiative | HRSA
August 2, 2023
UNOS posted their roadmap that outlines how to create an independent OPTN Board. It reads, in part:
“The roadmap that we submitted is a critical step forward for the nation’s organ donation and transplant system and the patients and families who depend on it,” said UNOS CEO Maureen McBride, Ph.D. “Transplant patients will be best served if the OPTN and its Board are given greater independence. Our plan increases accountability, transparency and good governance, which will lead to greater public trust in the national system.”
“We are committed to working with HRSA to ensure the successful and timely implementation of any OPTN governance restructuring plan by March 31, 2024,” McBride continued. “It is imperative that we pursue reforms as a unified community, and I am proud of the cooperation at all levels that has resulted in this plan.”
Read full statement here: UNOS plan reimagines governance of U.S. transplant system to best serve patients
Dawn Levitt, Author 