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Apply Transplant Notification Requirements for VCA Program Inactivation

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Current bylaws

Current OPTN policy excludes Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) programs from Appendix K: Transplant Program Inactivity, Withdrawal, and Termination, which requires all other organ transplant programs to notify their waitlisted patients if the program is under short or long-term inactive status or can no longer transplant a subset of their patients.

Additionally, Appendix J: Membership and Personnel Requirements for VCA Transplant Programs, categorizes genitourinary organs as one VCA type, for a total of eight VCA program types.

Supporting media

Presentation

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Proposed changes

  • Remove the VCA exclusion from OPTN Bylaws, Appendix K: Transplant Program Inactivity, Withdrawal, and Termination
    • When a program intends to voluntarily inactivate on a short- term basis, notification to the OPTN is not required but the program must provide candidates with a written summary of its Program Coverage Plan
    • VCA programs that long-term inactivate are required to notify the OPTN and follow the outlined requirements should the program seek reactivation or extension of that long-term inactive status
  • Update OPTN Bylaws, Appendix J: Membership and Personnel Requirements for VCA Transplant Programs
    • Split the “genitourinary organ” VCA type into three separate categories of VCA: uterus, external male genitalia, and other genitourinary organs
    • Increase the number of VCA program types from eight to ten

Anticipated impact

  • What it's expected to do
    • Require VCA programs to notify patients if VCA program will be on short-term or long-term inactive status
    • Increase VCA program types from eight to ten types
    • Contribute to continued effort to align VCA programs with all organ types in OPTN Policy, Bylaws, and Procedures
  • What it won’t do
    • This bylaw change does not establish functional inactivity requirements for VCA

Terms to know

  • Short-term Inactivation: A transplant program that is inactive for no more than 14 consecutive days.
  • Long-term Inactivation: A transplant program that is inactive for 15 or more consecutive days.

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