STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Jenny Daigle | [email protected]
AOPO Supports Congress and President Biden’s Efforts to Strengthen Organ Transplantation System and Save More Lives
Organ procurement trade organization voices support for President signing the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Act into law
McLean, VA (September 28, 2023) – The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) today voiced support for President Biden’s decision to strengthen the nation’s organ transplantation system by signing “The Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Act” (H.R. 2544) into law last week.
The legislation allows the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to engage in a competitive process to award multiple contractors for discreet OPTN functions, such as Board operations, information technology, communications, and research. It is a critical piece of the HRSA Modernization Initiative, which seeks to enhance the OPTN’s capabilities and effectiveness, ensuring that it can better serve patients, donors, and donor families across the nation. The enactment of this law is a pivotal moment in the establishment of a more efficient and equitable organ donation and transplantation system.
Colleen McCarthy, President of AOPO, expressed her optimism, stating, “As the national voice of OPOs which provide compassionate care to donors and donor families every day, AOPO recognizes the profound potential for system enhancements to transform countless lives. Our unwavering focus is on patient-centric solutions that will result in increased organ donation and transplants for those in need.”
AOPO stands ready to collaborate with HRSA, Congress, and other stakeholders to further advance OPTN modernization and enhance the organ donation and transplantation system. This legislation represents a significant milestone, and with HRSA and Congressional support, AOPO is committed to implementing additional system-wide reforms aimed at achieving the ambitious goal of 50,000 annual organ transplants in 2026.
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The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) is the not-for-profit trade association that leads 48 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) across the United States. These OPOs are federally designated entities tasked with facilitating organ donation authorization, recovery, and distribution to enhance and save lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation. AOPO was established in 1984 with the objective of advancing organ donation and transplantation. They achieve this by continuously improving the donation process, fostering collaboration with system stakeholders, and sharing successful practices among their OPO embers. AOPO envisions a future where every opportunity for donation results in lives saved. For more information, please visit their website at www.aopo.org.