Feds Told Hands-Off
Donated Organs
The U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services has been pushing to reduce
geographical disparities in organ-donation allocation, but
legislation approved by a Congressional committee last week would
block federal oversight.
 The House Commerce
Committee approved a bill that would reauthorize the 1984 National
Organ Transplant Act and release DHHS of its authority to oversee
the national contractor that handles organ allocation, the United
Network for Organ Sharing. The bill states that "standards for organ
procurement and transplantation belongs in the private sector and is
a function of the
Network."
The bill would give
UNOS more independence, says bill sponsor Commerce Committee
Chairman Thomas Bliley (R-Va.), adding that decisions about organ
allocation are best left to the medical
professionals.
The Clinton
administration has contacted the committee saying the president will
veto the bill. DHHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala warns that the bill
"reduces the federal oversight role of our nation's organ
procurement and transplantation system." Another letter from Acting
Assistant Attorney General Jon Jennings suggests the bill may even
violate the
Constitution. |
