New policy changes threaten to increase waitlist mortality by prioritizing "Placement Efficiency" over medical necessity. Help us tell HRSA and the OPTN that patients must come first.
Unprecedented Process
This major policy change bucked decades of protocol by bypassing a prospective public comment period. No clinical evidence was provided to justify using the "Emergency Actions" pathway at the time of the vote.
Expert Consensus Overridden
The OPTN Lung Committee—comprised of subject matter experts and community representatives—voted unanimously against these changes to the Composite Allocation Score (CAS).
Increased Mortality Risk
Initial modeling suggests these changes will increase waitlist mortality for high-risk, difficult-to-match candidates. The shift from extensive pre-implementation modeling to a "fix it later" approach endangers lives unnecessarily.
Please submit your feedback before then to ensure your voice is counted!
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Option 1: (Best for Instagram/Facebook)
I just officially submitted my public comment to the OPTN Board of Directors, urging them to reverse the recent policy changes to the Lung Transplant Continuous Allocation Score (CAS).
The recent decision to reallocate critical points away from biologically disadvantaged patients was made without a prospective public comment period and went against the unanimous warnings of lung medical experts.
Policy data isn't just numbers—every point represents a human life, a family, and a second chance.
We only have until July 3, 2026 to make our voices heard before the board decides if this change becomes permanent. If you are a recipient, candidate, caregiver, or ally, our community needs you right now.
👉 Go to lungtransplantfoundation.org/act to copy our template letter and submit your comment in less than 60 seconds. Let's keep patient equity at the center of transplant policy! #ProtectTheCAS #LungTransplant #OrganAllocation #PatientEquity #LungTransplantFoundation
Option 2: (Best for X / Twitter)
Every data point in transplant policy is a human life. I just submitted my official public comment to the OPTN Board to protect fair lung allocation.
The deadline to act is July 3, 2026. Join me and make your voice heard right now: lungtransplantfoundation.org/act #ProtectTheCAS #LungTransplant
Option 3: Personal & Story-Focused (Best for LinkedIn or personal Facebook posts)
As someone connected to the incredible lung transplant community, I know firsthand how vital it is that organ allocation policies are rooted in clinical evidence, patient equity, and expert medical consensus.
That’s why I just submitted my public comment asking HRSA and the OPTN Board to reverse the November 2025 vote and restore the CAS point allocations to their original levels. The recent emergency shift prioritized "efficiency" at the expense of high-risk patients—without letting the public weigh in first.
The open comment window is closing on July 3, 2026.
If you care about fair healthcare access and protecting vulnerable patients, please take a minute to speak up. The Lung Transplant Foundation has built a simple, step-by-step tool with a pre-formatted letter to make it easy: lungtransplantfoundation.org/act we can ensure specialized medical expertise stays at the center of transplant policy.
Reference:
Current OPTN Board members. https://www.hrsa.gov/optn/about/governance/board-of-directors
Regarding modernization: https://www.hrsa.gov/optn-modernization/learn-more-about-modernization
Regarding the New Board of Directors: https://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/press-releases/optn-new-board#:~:text=The%20newly%20elected%20Board%20of,terms%20on%20July%201%2C%202025.
Lung transplant candidates on the waitlist https://srtr.transplant.hrsa.gov/ADR/Chapter?name=Lung&year=2023
HRSA decided that a solution to Allocation out of Sequence needed to start with Lungs - https://vimeo.com/event/5527361/5310d5a605
“..voted unanimously not to change the CAS point allocation system…” https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/optn/20251117-lung-summary.pdf
https://www.hrsa.gov/optn/policies-bylaws/policy-issues/allocation-out-of-sequence-aoos
2025 OPTN Board meeting video, https://vimeo.com/event/5527361/5310d5a605
Regarding New CAS in effect: https://www.hrsa.gov/optn/news-events/news/changes-lung-cas-now-in-effect
OPTN bulletin sent out on May 7th 2026 citing "in accordance with the emergency actions pathway established in OPTN Management and Membership Policies E.7. "
Lung Continuous Distribution Two-Year Monitoring Report DHHS Contract No. 250-2019-00001C Date Completed: May 8th, 2025 Prepared for: Lung Transplantation Committee Committee Meeting Date of Meeting: May 8th, 2025 By: Samantha Weiss, MS and Chelsea Hawkins, PhD UNOS Research Department
Creating a world where all lung transplant patients live long, healthy lives.
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