HHS Adds Intestines to List of Organs Covered by Existing Transplant Rules

	U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration HRSA NEWS ROOM http://newsroom.hrsa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 9, 2007

CONTACT: HRSA PRESS OFFICE
301-443-3376

HHS Adds Intestines to List of Organs Covered by Existing Transplant Rules

Intestinal transplants will now be subject to the same rules for reporting, tracking and allocation currently in place for other transplantable organs.

The addition of intestines to the list of organs covered by rules governing the operation of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the list of human organs defined in section 301 of the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA) was announced in the Federal Register on March 9, the effective date of the rule.

Intestinal transplantation – which may include the esophagus, stomach, small or large intestine, or any portion of the gastrointestinal tract – is considered for patients with irreversible intestinal failure due to surgery, trauma, or acquired or congenital disease that cannot be managed through the intravenous delivery of nutrients, also referred to as total parenteral nutrition.

Established by Congress under NOTA in 1984, the OPTN develops national transplantation policies for approval by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). After considering public comments on policies proposed by OPTN, HHS issues a determination on whether to make the proposed policies enforceable under OPTN regulations. Any transplant hospital that fails to comply with enforceable policies is subject to enforcement sanctions. Additionally, Federal law requires U.S. transplant centers and organ procurement organizations to be OPTN members in order to receive Medicare funds.

The United Network for Organ Sharing, based in Richmond , Va. , administers the OPTN under contract with HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration.

The first successful intestinal transplant was performed in 1989. Four years later the OPTN adopted initial voluntary intestinal organ allocation policies and began to keep a list of patients waiting for intestinal transplants. In 2005, 178 intestinal transplants were performed in the United States , the highest annual number ever; 175 intestinal transplants were performed last year.

For more information on organ donation, visit www.organdonor.gov .

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. HRSA also oversees a national organ and tissue transplantation system. For more information about HRSA, visit www.hrsa.gov.