If you have been reading about the recent policy changes in the administration of the organ transplant system, and you want to make your voice heard, there are several opportunities available to you. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) will be holding public meeting in each of the eleven UNOS allocation areas. The list of meetings with location, date and time are available at this link: Regional meetings – OPTN (hrsa.gov)
What to Expect at a Regional Meeting:
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is organized into 11 regions. Regional meetings are held twice each year during the winter and summer public comment periods. The meeting is led by the regional councilor who is the region’s representative on the OPTN Board of Directors. You will hear presentations from OPTN committee members and others about proposed changes to the transplant system, opportunities to get involved, and updates about ongoing efforts to improve organ allocation.
The regional meeting is chaired by the Regional Councillor. A typical meeting includes the following components:
• Regional update presented by the Regional Councilor
• OPTN update presented by a UNOS executive or President/VP of OPTN Board of Directors
• OPTN committee updates presented by Regional Representatives of OPTN committees
• Policy proposals presented by Regional Representatives from the sponsoring committees followed by discussion
OPTN representatives submit sentiment on public comment items. Sentiment is advisory and helps the Regional Councillor represent the viewpoints of the region to the OPTN Board of Directors on each policy proposal.
• Each organization may submit sentiment one time for each public comment item, but anyone may voice feedback or ask questions.
• Transplant Community Administrators announce sentiment and take notes on the feedback voiced by meeting attendees to create written comments that express the viewpoints of the region.
• Regional sentiment and comments on proposals are posted to the OPTN website in the public comment section and shared with the sponsoring committee for each proposal and the OPTN Board of Directors for consideration.
• Members and the public are encouraged to post individual comments on the OPTN website in the public comment section.
The OPTN public comment period is currently open until September 19, 2023. You may view the proposals and provide feedback at this link: Public comment – OPTN (hrsa.gov)
Dawn Levitt, Author 