The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is seeking feedback regarding the proposal by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to change the way organs are allocated in the United States.
Since April 1998, UNOS has been fighting a proposal by HHS to change the organ distribution system to one in which organs would be allocated to the sickest patients first regardless of where they live in the United States. Much of the transplant community has fought the proposal, which has largely centered around livers, and the fight caused implementation of the regulation to be postponed until next month. Organs traditionally have been offered first to patients within small geographic areas. However, in June, UNOS approved a plan that would serve as a compromise by making donor livers available first to the sickest patients within one of 11 much larger geographic regions (see Transplant News Network, July 1, 1999). The Institute of Medicine added fuel to the fire when it released a report in July concluding that livers should be distributed over areas that serve at least 9 million people (see Transplant News Network, August 1, 1999).
In a September 7 letter to members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), UNOS president William D. Payne, MD, asked for feedback on two topics: the report issued by the Institute of Medicine and the new regulations that UNOS has drafted as a compromise.
"We would like to be able to provide the community's concerns and feedback to HHS in any future discussions relating to possible compromises and solutions that would put to rest the current dispute... We'd like to reach a final conclusion and move on," the letter states.
For Your Information:
UNOS President Payne's letter
www.unos.org/Newsroom/archive_Regs_optnrevisions_19990907_letter.htm
includes a link to an online feedback form
Please be aware that medical advice, diagnoses and physician references cannot be obtained from this site.