WASHINGTON, D.C.-The future of the U.S. government's plan to change the way that organs are allocated in the United States remains uncertain despite legislation that President Clinton signed in December.
On December 17, Mr. Clinton signed into law the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, which includes a 90-day moratorium on implementation of the organ allocation rules proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services. The delay means that the rules can't become effective before the middle of March. However, on December 29, the New York Times predicted that even a mid-March implementation "is unlikely, because Congress plans to reopen the issue as part of a bill reauthorizing the National Organ Transplant Act."
The newspaper's comments were part of a front-page article that discussed how plans for a new liver transplant program in Iowa reflect what is happening in transplant programs around the country in light of the proposed regulations. The rules would put medical need ahead of geography when assigning priority for an organ. The article delves into the point of view of larger transplant programs, which tend to favor the government's proposal, and smaller programs, which have claimed that the new scheme could put them out of business.
The United Network for Organ Sharing has opposed the proposed government rules. The day that Mr. Clinton signed the law, UNOS said that the new system "would enable any hospital or doctor to perform transplants, regardless of qualifications, and that would clearly not be in the best interest of patients."
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