Will the Government Lose Its Say in Organ Transplant Distribution?
Maybe if the House Has Its Way
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The House of Representatives passed legislation this week by a 275-147 vote that would remove the government's authority to regulate organ-transplant policy. Sponsored by Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R., Fla.), the bill gives that authority to transplant centers and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS is a private, not-for-profit, membership corporation that maintains the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network as well as the US Scientific Registry on Organ Transplantation under contract with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The bill was a response to a new regulation the HHS created to try and disperse organs equally across the country. The current distribution system offers organs to patients within the originating region before being offered nationally. Opponents say that method is unfair because the most critically ill patient will not necessarily receive the transplant. As of April 2, 2000, the UNOS national patient waiting list showed 68,805 patients awaiting organ transplants.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
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June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
