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.
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:
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.”
October 2024 - AST responds to OPTN Modernization efforts and House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight Hearing