US House passes Securing the US Organ Procurement Transplantation Network Act
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Key takeaways:
- The legislation would modify how the Health Resources and Services Administration funds and manages the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
- The bill supports the initiative for quality improvement.
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement Transplantation Network Act. The bill increases transparency and competition in the transplant system, according to a press release.
“I commend the House for the unanimous and expedient passage of the Securing the U.S. [Organ Procurement Transplantation Network] OPTN Act,” Michelle A. Josephson, MD, FASN, president of the American Society of Nephrology, said in a press release. “This bipartisan legislation is a foundational step in establishing a patient-centered transplant system. ASN is thrilled that Congressional leaders are preparing the way for new ideas to improve transplant care for the thousands of people on the kidney transplant waitlist and many more who would benefit from this important therapy.”
The bipartisan legislation modifies how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funds and manages the OPTN, according to the United States Congress. The bill (H.R. 2544) authorizes HRSA to award grants, contracts or cooperative agreements to support the network. It also eliminates a cap on the amount of available funding for supporting the network.
In addition to rules that the network must operate through awards that are distinct from awards for supporting its board of directors, the Government Accountability Office must review the historical financing of the network, including the use of registration fees.
The Securing the U.S. OPTN Act also supports the HRSA’s OPTN Modernization Initiative, which aims to improve technology, data, governance, operations and quality improvement, as well as seek out innovations to benefit the transplant system, according to the ASN.
“As a transplant professional, I am privileged to see the impact a transplant can make in the life of a person with kidney failure,” Roslyn B. Mannon, MD, FASN, chair of the ASN policy and advocacy committee, said in the release. “The House passage of this legislation comes after years of advocacy, and I eagerly await the Senate passage of this important bill.”
ASN advocates recently met with congressional delegations to urge the passing of the bill and expand access to kidney transplantation as the optimal therapy for kidney failure. Lawmakers in the Senate introduced a companion bill (S. 1668), which has not yet passed.
Reference:
Congress.gov. H.R.2544 - Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2544#:~:text=This%20bill%20modifies%20how%20the,U.S.%20donation%20and%20transplantation%20system. Accessed July 27, 2023.
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