Today, President Barack Obama signed the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act into law. Authored by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, the HOPE Act creates a science-based path for medical research to proceed on the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of organ transplants between HIV-positive patients.
The HOPE Act replaces an outdated policy banning HIV-positive organs from being used for any purpose, even research.
Earlier today, I signed into law the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that allows scientists to carry out research into organ donations from one person with HIV to another. For decades, these organ transplants have been illegal. It was even illegal to study whether they could be safe and effective. But as our understanding of HIV and effective treatments have grown, that policy has become outdated. The potential for successful organ transplants between people living with HIV has become more of a possibility. The HOPE Act lifts the research ban, and, in time, it could lead to live-saving organ donations for people living with HIV while ensuring the safety of the organ transplant process and strengthening the national supply of organs for all who need them.
Following the signing the White House issued the following statement from President Obama, “Earlier today, I signed into law the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that allows scientists to carry out research into organ donations from one person with HIV to another. For decades, these organ transplants have been illegal. It was even illegal to study whether they could be safe and effective. But as our understanding of HIV and effective treatments have grown, that policy has become outdated. The potential for successful organ transplants between people living with HIV has become more of a possibility. The HOPE Act lifts the research ban, and, in time, it could lead to live-saving organ donations for people living with HIV while ensuring the safety of the organ transplant process and strengthening the national supply of organs for all who need them.
Improving care for people living with HIV is critical to fighting the epidemic, and it’s a key goal of my National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The HOPE Act marks an important step in the right direction, and I thank Congress for their action.”
According to Noozhawk Capps said, “After years of work on crafting this legislation, building bipartisan consensus, and collaborating with advocates in the HIV and medical communities, I am thrilled to see the president sign the HOPE Act into law today,” Capps said. “This proves that even in a divided Congress, we can come together to pass common sense bills with bipartisan efforts that will help save lives, improve health outcomes and save taxpayer dollars.”
“I applaud the president for signing this important piece of bipartisan legislation into law and am hopeful it produces encouraging results for HIV-positive individuals,” said Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D., R-Okla., the chief Republican sponsor of the bill in the U.S. Senate.
