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OPTN board launches data review after media report on foreign patient transplants; MPSC to examine potential policy breaches
Summary
In response to a recent New York Times article alleging transplant tourism, the OPTN board launched a coordinated data request (2013–present) and asked the MPSC to review possible violations of OPTN Policy 17; the board will convene a small work group to consider policy clarity, monitoring and enforcement.
A board member raised a New York Times investigation alleging some U.S. centers arrange paid transplants for wealthy foreign patients. The board discussed whether payment or contracting with foreign governments or agents could have influenced allocation sequence and whether such activity might involve out‑of‑sequence allocations.
Board leadership described steps already underway: a data request covering listings and transplants from 2013 to the present, stratified by center, organ, year and by whether recipients are non‑citizen/non‑residents; additional fields will include wait time, urgency, exception use and AOOS indicators. The Medical Practices and Standards Committee (MPSC) has been asked to assess specific cases for potential violations of OPTN Policy 17 (which governs non‑citizen/non‑resident transplants and related advertising/contract issues).
Board members stressed the distinction between lawful transplants of non‑U.S. residents (which OPTN policy allows in many circumstances) and the allegation that wealth or contracts might be used to circumvent allocation rules. Several speakers said the data will determine whether policy change, clarification or enforcement action is needed. The board plans to convene a small ad hoc work group, drawing on the Ad Hoc International Relations Committee, to review the findings and present options for monitoring, policy clarification or new policy.
No enforcement actions were announced at the meeting; the board said results of the data analysis and the MPSC review will be presented to the board when available.
