The Biden administration announced a plan to modernize how patients are matched to organs, seeking to shorten wait times, address racial inequities and reduce deaths
The plan will also increase accountability and transparency by opening up more contracts to operate the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and sharing data more openly
The OPTN is currently run by a single contractor, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which has been criticized for poor oversight, wasted organs, serious errors and patient deaths
The plan will also revise the geographic boundaries that determine how organs are allocated, which have been blamed for creating disparities and inefficiencies
The plan will also implement new performance standards and incentives for organ procurement organizations (OPOs), which are responsible for recovering organs from deceased donors
The plan will also support living organ donation by expanding reimbursement for donor expenses, increasing public awareness and education, and improving data collection and reporting
The plan will also invest in research and innovation to improve organ preservation, transplantation outcomes, and artificial organs
The plan is expected to save thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health care costs over the next decade