Congress can save lives with one small change
As Washington resumes its work this fall after a summer break, members of Congress have a rare chance to make a major difference for Americans in need of life-saving organ transplants.
Bipartisan language within the legislation re-authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration would make it easier to transport donated organs via commercial passenger airplanes by allowing “above the wing passage for donated organs.”
Organ transplants save thousands of lives per year; there were 42,887 transplants performed across America in 2022. Yet if you or anyone you love has ever had to undergo this process, you appreciate all the details needed to make a transplant happen.
Not only must a donor and recipient be a match medically, but the organ needs to be transported in a safe, efficient manner. Time can become a deciding factor between which lives can be saved and which families must continue to wait and hope. Delays can be fatal. A donated organ can only last so long in transport packaging.
Many donated organs are transported via commercial passenger airplanes. This offers both speedy transport and needed flexibility. Bulk consumer goods, mail and other cargo might have dedicated flights and routes; obviously, donated organs have less predictable itineraries (and, thankfully, less volume), so cargo flights are not an option. Private flights are expensive, making them most suitable as an option of last resort.
Not so long ago, an organ procurement official might clear security, walk up to a flight gate with a donated, securely packaged organ and hand it directly to a pilot or crew member. The organ would ride in the cockpit or nearby and be delivered to another official at the arrival gate. That was before the terrorist attacks on Sept.
11, 2001, dramatically changed air travel. New regulations on passenger movement within terminals meant that organs had to travel “below the wing” — that is, in the luggage cargo hold. Those same regulations also decreed that any cargo must be at the airport at least two hours before takeoff.
Remember: For organ donation, time is critical, and that includes transit time.
These regulations did not prevent organs from being transported by commercial aircraft. But by adding several hours to transit times, they limited the distance that could exist between a donor and a recipient. For patients in need of a transplant, that means a tighter radius, fewer potential donors, and possibly a longer wait.
Thankfully, both houses of Congress have included language in their draft
FAA legislation that updates these regulations and permits organs to be transported “above the wing” — in other words, outside of the luggage hold (which is considered “below the wing”). While keeping necessary security measures in place, this update will streamline organ transport and expand the potential radius between potential donors and potential recipients.
As FAA reauthorization moves through Congress in September, there are sure to be several debates over various aspects of the bill, as the House and Senate review and amend the drafts that their respective transportation committees have assembled.
As those discussions progress, our representatives in Congress must be sure to stay the course on basic, commonsense updates. In the course of negotiations, Congress must not miss this opportunity to make the national organ donation transportation network more flexible, responsive, and effective.
In the context of FAA reauthorization, permitting above-the-wing passage for organ transplants is simply a good policy. To those patients and families in dire need of a transplant, it means so much more.
Many Virginians have been saved because of a timely organ transplant, with many of those donated organs arriving safely via commercial aircraft. According to LifeNet Health, “2021 marked the fourth consecutive record-breaking year for donors.” This upward trajectory demands that the transportation sector keep pace.