Reforming the Organ Donation System

David Kemp andPeter Van DorenThe Washington Postrecently reported on the logistic and technological failings of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the private non ‐​profit agency with a government ‐​enforced monopoly on the United States’ system of procuring organ donations and matching donated organs to the over 100,000 people waiting for them. A report from the White House US Digital Service found that UNOS has been ineffective, lacks transparency, and relies on outdated software, with frequent system failures and cybersecurity concerns. While UNOS has resisted efforts to modernize and reform, these problems have necessitated billions of dollars every year for continuing medical treatments like dialysis and meant that the organ donation system has failed to prevent the deaths of thousands who could have been saved by getting a donated organ.UNOS, and the entire organ donation system, is sorely in need of reform, but the ultimate issue with US organ donation is that there is a supply shortage caused by laws banning compensation for donors. TheSummer 2022 issue ofRegulationfeatures ideas on how to overhaul the system from some of the experts involved in efforts to change US organ donation policy.Most of the current problems stem from theNational Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1984, which established the system of monopoly contractors to supply donated organs (organ procurement organizations (OPOs)) overseen by an organ procurement and t...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs