RICHMOND, Va. -- After being passed unanimously by both chambers of Congress, a bill that would allow changes to how organ transplants are managed in the U.S. now just waits for the expected signature from President Joe Biden.
The system -- known as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network or OPTN -- was created in 1986 and has only ever been run by the Richmond-based nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing or UNOS.
That management has come under scrutiny in recent years -- notably by a bipartisan group of lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee -- who've held several hearings and investigations into the OPTN.
"Specifically, our committee has uncovered transportation and testing failures that have put patient's lives at risk, outdated information technology undermining the network," the U.S. Senator representing Maryland, Ben Cardin said.
The hearings have also featured testimony from people across the country, like LaQuayia Goldring, who said she's been waiting nine years for another kidney transplant.
"I was told that I would receive a kidney transplant within three to five years. But yet I am still waiting, undergoing monthly surgeries just to be able to get my dialysis access to work so that I can continue to live until I get a transplant," Goldring said.
Senators also criticized UNOS' lack of oversight of the Organ Procurement Organizations or OPOs, responsible for recovering organs.
"This is unacceptable. Tens of thousands of organs go to waste every year, exploiting generous donor families," Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said.
While the federal government announced a plan to modernize the OPTN earlier this year, it said the legislation now passed by Congress will ease restrictions on the contracting process.
Jennifer Erickson, who worked on this issue under the Obama Administration says UNOS was the only group able to apply to run the OPTN under the current language.
"Ultimately, what this means is it's truly life-saving legislation because there'll be 1000 more organ transplants every year when the system is operating efficiently and effectively," Erickson said.
For their part, UNOS has said they welcome the legislation that has been passed by Congress and a "competitive and open bidding process."
As HRSA continues to modernize the OPTN, we stand ready to offer our expertise and experience to support their efforts. We are committed to working with them and other stakeholders to ensure the best possible system for patients and donors.
No organization knows the incredibly complex system and the transplant community as well as UNOS, and we look forward to demonstrating how our expertise should remain an integral part of the system."
President Biden is expected to sign the legislation passed by Congress. The President has also requested increased funding in his FY24 budget to update the OPTN.
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