BY TIM BONFIELD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Congress has blocked for at least a year a federal rule that would have changed how donated organs get distributed, a move applauded by Cincinnati-area organ transplant experts.
The decision came as a rider attached to the recently passed federal budget bill. It was proposed by Louisiana Rep. Robert Livingston, whose state also has been fighting the federal rule in court.
"The bottom line is we won, at least temporarily," said Dr. Doug Hanto, director of the adult liver transplant program at University Hospital.
At present, locally donated organs go first to qualified patients at local transplant centers, then to patients regionally, then nationally. The new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called for switching to a sickest-first policy.
Supporters of the HHS rule say it would eliminate unfair differences in waiting times around the country. Critics say the rule would concentrate organs at a few large transplant centers at the expense of people in many cities with smaller centers. It also might result in more organs going to people who are less likely to survive very long after transplantation.
"Unfortunately, not only is Mr. Livingston hurting his own constituents, his actions are hurting thousands of people across the United States waiting for organ transplants," said Craig Irwin, president of the National Transplant Action Committee, which has supported the HHS rule.
Dr. Hanto, however, said the United Network for Organ Sharing will continue working on less drastic ways to improve the existing system, such as promoting more organ donation, enforcing more uniform standards for deciding who gets on waiting lists, and developing wider regional sharing networks.
