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Published Friday, February 2, 2001 Thompson promises organ donation initiative By LAURA MECKLER / Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tommy Thompson, the new Health and Human Services secretary, promised Friday to launch in his first 100 days a national campaign to increase organ donation. In his first full day on the job, Thompson also told his new employees he expects quick work on patients' rights legislation that can pass Congress. He suggested the way to prevent HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is to look for a cure and said he will review federal policy over use of embryonic stem cells for medical research. Repeatedly pledging to bring a passionate, aggressive attitude to issues, Thompson said he would continue a variety of Clinton administration efforts, including reducing racial disparities in health care, discouraging smoking and improving child support collection. Thompson, who resigned Thursday as governor of Wisconsin, was sworn into his new job at HHS Friday morning. He called organ donation "an issue that is very close to my heart" and promised to do more to recognize families who donate organs of a loved one. Noting that more than 70,000 people are on the transplant waiting list, he promised "a national campaign to raise awareness of organ donation," though he gave no specifics. As governor, Thompson aggressively fought the department's effort to equalize distribution of donated organs. Under the current system, organs are given to patients in a local area, even if a sicker potential recipient is hospitalized just over the border. Under President Clinton, HHS tried hard to change that. Wisconsin, where organ donations are high, has vigorously opposed changes that would move locally donated organs to other states. Thompson even sued Health and Human Services, but the case was dismissed. In his speech Friday, Thompson only hinted about possible policy changes. "What we need to do, instead of taking from one another, is to grow the number of donors in America," he said. "I believe very passionately about that." After the speech, he said: "I'm not at this point in time going to change anything." He gave no specifics on patients' rights legislation, which has been debated in Congress for more than three years, but he promised to put the matter at the top of his agenda. "We will reach out to Congress, and in the next few weeks sit down and craft a patients' bill of rights that's going to be able to be passed in the Congress," he said. Asked by an HHS worker what he would do to help prevent the spread of HIV, Thompson would not say how he might address prevention. Rather, he said: "The best thing I can and this department can do is find a cure for HIV." Researchers believe any hope for a cure is many years away. Thompson also said he would review policy on use of stem cells, many of which come from discarded embryos, which are being used in research toward a cure for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and numerous other diseases. President Bush has implied that he opposes this sort of research, but Thompson, as governor, praised as pioneers Wisconsin researchers who co-discovered the vital cells. Asked about his earlier comments, Thompson said his position may have to change. "I found out that I'm a cabinet officer now, " he said. While awaiting confirmation, Thompson was criticized for having close ties to tobacco companies, but he said Friday he will work aggressively to discourage smoking. He suggested that he and Surgeon General David Satcher travel the country, much like during a political campaign, to promote a soon-to-come report on women and smoking. Thompson also served up plenty of praise for his new workers. He said they are dedicated, hardworking and committed and added, to applause: "I want people to say, 'It's hard to be humble when you work for the Department of Health and Human Services." ' On the Net: Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/ Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. http://www2.startribune.com/stOnLine/cgi- bin/article?thisStory=83483490 [log in to unmask]