What’s Next for the Nation’s Organ Transplant System?

September 03, 2024

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) continues to roll out its proposed reform and update to the nation’s organ transplant system.

Last week, HRSA announced another change related to the governance of key organizations involved with the system. The federal agency last year announced it was looking for opportunities to modernize the organ allocation system to better serve patients and families.

“Families anxiously waiting for a life-saving transplant for their loved one shouldn’t have to worry about how the system that determines who gets what organ is managed and governed,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson in a statement.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What’s changing:  HRSA announced the election of a new governing board of directors for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s allocation policy. This board will be separated and independent from the one that oversees the contractor administering the transplant program (United Network for Organ Sharing).
• Next steps:  The nonprofit American Institutes for Research (AIR) will organize an election for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network’s new board of directors.
• Why it matters:  The new governance aims to address potential conflicts of interest, and ensure “that data, evidence, and the voices of clinical leaders, scientific experts, patients, and donor families are driving action and accountability.”
• Broader effort:  Last year, HRSA announced the initiative to address systemic challenges that have made headlines in recent years, including “inequities in access to transplant, lost organs, conflicts of interest, system reliability issues, and lack of transparency. “
• Quotable:  “Today’s announcements are an essential step forward in this work to make the system work better for patients and families.” 

Additional information about the HRSA announcement and the changes for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network are available online.