AST, ASTS & UNOS encourage collaboration to drive improvement

Leaders of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) are urging the Biden administration to ensure recent rulemaking does not cause undue harm to patients waiting for a transplant. They further urge the administration to take a patient-focused holistic approach to improving the national organ donation and transplantation system.

A number of recent comments on CMS’ final rule on Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) Medicare conditions for coverage (CfC) express concern that the rule stands to decertify up to half of OPOs, but does not offer a transition plan, potentially denying large areas of the country access to lifesaving donation services. The joint comment also points to recent estimates that show partners in organ donation and transplantation can perform 10,000 more transplants than the 41,000 projected in the OPO CfC final rule by reducing disincentives to innovation and working more closely together. The leaders said doing so is “an important step on the road toward providing a transplant to everyone who needs it.”

The comments renew the call for collaborative reform that considers every component of the organ donation and transplant system with input from those who know it best – donor families, patients and professionals. With this, the community can develop innovative approaches to system accountability and improvement.

Read the March 2021 AST, ASTS, UNOS joint letter, OPTN comment letter and ASTS comment letter. Read a previous comment made in Feb. 2020 by the OPTN on the proposed CMS final rule.

Learn more about improvements UNOS is proposing to strengthen the organ donation and transplant system.