AST leadership meets with HHS HRSA Associate Administrator Dr. Suma Nair and her team regularly for ongoing dialogue with agency leaders as the OPTN Modernization and Reform initiative process continues to evolve. The AST will update members on this process through the newsletter and the AST website.
View the CEoT 2025 Symposium: OPTN Modernization and Emergency Policy Issues
OPTN Modernization Updates
September 2025 - AST Message on Advocacy and OPTN Modernization
July 2025 - Statement on July 22 Hearing on Organ Procurement and Transplant Oversight
May 2025 - AST Message on OPTN Modernization Initiative
April 2025 - AST Message on OPTN Modernization Initiative
April 2025 - AST Statement on Recent OPTN Board Resignations & A Call for Increased Transparency and Community Engagement
April 2025 -As part of its study of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has requested input from the American Society of Transplantation (AST) in response to a congressional mandate outlined in the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act (Public Law 118-14). View Q&A.
March 2025 - AST Message on OPTN Modernization Initiative
February 2025 - AST Message on OPTN Modernization Initiative
September 2024 - HRSA Makes Multi-Vendor Modernization Awards to Support the Nation’s Organ Transplant System
August 2024 - On Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) announced the selection of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) as the OPTN Board Support contractor
July 2024 - AST President Jon Kobashigawa, MD, sent a communication to the membership about the -Society's approach and involvement.
June 2024 On June 28, AST leaders met again with HRSA Associate Administrator Dr. Suma Nair
and her team at the agency. At that time, the Society requested and pressed responses from
HRSA to the following questions:
- Can you describe the newly proposed OPTN structure and how will that structure differ
from the current structure? Is the vision for the OPTN different from the membership
model? - How will the OPTN Board be selected? Will OPTN members have input to the Board
selection and composition? Will there to be societal representation on the OPTN
Board? - It is the understanding that HRSA will provide oversight of the contractors. Will HRSA
have transplant professionals within HRSA serving as consultants when advising HRSA
on contractor performance within the OPTN? If so, then how will the transplant
professionals within HRSA be selected? - How much influence will the support contractor have over the OPTN Board? How will OPTN
Board promote new policies? Does this need approval by the Contractor or HRSA?
June 2024 - The AST recently met with OPTN leadership and is meeting with the HRSA
Associate Administrator and Division on Transplantation (DoT) at ATC in
Philadelphia. Society leaders will also meet with various targeted HHS officials during
the upcoming annual meeting.
On May 3, 2024, after soliciting and reviewing public feedback following
the release of draft requests for proposals in February, 2024, HRSA issued final
requests for proposals to support multiple contract awards. As stated by the Agency,
“this is a key step in the OPTN Modernization Initiative to improve transparency,
performance, governance, and efficiency of the US transplant system to benefit patients
and their families. This action will increase competition ensuring patients and their
families benefit from best-in-class vendors.”
AST OPTN Modernization Initiative Communications:
October 2024 - AST responds to OPTN Modernization efforts and House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight Hearing
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