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About TRIO
Mission Statement
Testimony by Bruce Weir, President Transplant Recipients
International Organization, Inc. to the House Commerce's Subcommittee
on Health and Environment.
September 22, 1999.
I am submitting this testimony today on behalf of a vital segment of
the national transplant system that has been, and still is, quite
under-represented…the patients.
In April of 1998, the Secretary of the Health and Human Services
(HHS) issued a "Final Rule" that addressed certain areas in the present
system that need improvement (allocation of organs, oversight of the
system, to name a couple).
United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), who holds the contract of
the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN), decided to fight
these changes and the two sides became polarized. No gain for either
side; and even worse…the patients lost. Many of the changes would
have helped a patient’s chances of being transplanted sooner. When
things got to an impasse, UNOS then successfully lobbied Congress to
issue a moratorium for one year, asking the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
to study the Rule and the issues having been raised to see if the Rule
had any merit. The IOM Report was issued on July 20, 1999 and generally
supported the reasons the "Final Rule" was issued and debunked the
untruths spread by its opponents. The moratorium expires October 21,
1999.
The very Congress that ordered the moratorium, not having yet
studied or evaluated the IOM report, is now embarking on a mission to
rewrite the law that established the OPTN, how it operates and what ,
if any oversight and authority the Secretary of HHS might or should
have over the national organ transplant system
What I have seen of the proposed changes only heightens my concerns.
This bill is greatly skewed in favor of OPTN and lessens the power and
authority of HHS. There needs to be balance. This bill would create
imbalance.
I urge you all to seriously consider whether this is the time to
even consider such changes. Transplant centers may feel these changes
are necessary to help insure their future. This is not the time for
patients – for while they are waiting, they have no
future.
Respectfully submitted,
Bruce Weir
President
9/22/99
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