Orlando, Fla. -- At its meeting November 16-17, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved 236 living donor kidney transplant programs that met criteria for key personnel and enhancing living donor safety. Each of these programs had been approved previously under more general standards for kidney transplant programs.

Richmond, Va. -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, meeting June 22 and 23, adopted a policy to broaden access to donated livers for candidates at greatest short-term risk of dying without a transplant (Status 1A and 1B). At any given moment there are usually fewer than 10 of these candidates nationwide, with a life expectancy of seven days or less without a transplant.

Boston -- Researchers from United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) authored and will present several studies at the American Transplant Congress (ATC), a joint meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation held at the John B. Hynes Veteran Convention Center May 30 through June 3.

Houston -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting today, adopted a series of definitions differentiating between concepts such as organ trafficking, transplant tourism and travel for transplantation. These definitions stem from a 2008 international conference in Istanbul to seek consensus among transplant professionals regarding transplant tourism and organ trafficking.

Richmond, Va. -- Members of the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) have elected 18 members to its Board of Directors, including a new president, vice president/president elect and treasurer.

St. Louis, MO -- The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Transplantation Committee hosted a public forum today to discuss concepts for kidney allocation. More than 200 people participated, both in person and over an internet/telephone connection.

St. Louis -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors has reinstated the full membership status of St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles, removing its status of probation.

St. Louis -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting today, adopted a policy to improve the safety of living organ donation by specifying that living donor organ recovery and transplantation must take place in OPTN member transplant centers.

Richmond, Va. -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting June 19 and 20, approved elements of a pilot national system to facilitate kidney paired donation. Kidney paired donation involves two or more living donor transplants where the initially intended donor/recipient pairs are medically incompatible; two or more donor/recipient pairs are then crossed to provide a compatible living donor for each recipient.

Richmond, Va. -- United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) dedicated a set of wind chimes in honor of all transplant professionals who have given their lives in the performance of their duties, and in particular six individuals who died in a tragic plane accident while bringing an organ offer to the University of Michigan Medical Center. The ceremony coincided with the meeting of the Board of Directors of UNOS and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) June 19 and 20.

Toronto -- Researchers from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) authored and will present several studies at the American Transplant Congress (ATC), a joint meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation held at the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Center May 30 through June 4. UNOS staff researchers are authors in a total of 10 papers being presented at ATC.

Richmond, April 17 -- A national report card prepared by Donate Life America shows a 10 percent increase in donor designations over the last 18 months, bringing the total number of registered donors in the United States to nearly 70 million. Still, only 35 percent of licensed drivers and ID card holders have committed themselves to donation by registering to be donors through their state registry or motor vehicle department -- leaving the donor shortage a leading public health crisis. The public can help stem the shortage of donated organs and tissue and save lives by visiting www.donatelife.net, finding out how to be a designated donor in their state and ensuring their decision will be honored by registering.

Orlando, FL -- Early data shared at the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors Meeting Feb. 21 indicated that wait list deaths among heart transplant candidates have dramatically decreased since a 2006 OPTN policy change in the sequence of heart allocation.

Orlando, Fla. -- At its meeting today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors withdrew the status of probation for Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. The Board had placed Sharp on probation in September 2006 based on functional inactivity involving its pancreas transplant program. The center was allowed to continue transplant activity while under probationary status.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Janet Smith has joined United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) as the new chief information officer. As CIO, Smith is responsible for providing enterprise executive leadership and strategic direction for information technology, which includes technology infrastructure, systems, services and telecommunication in support of the business requirements.

Los Angeles [September 18, 2007] -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved a resource document to describe commonalities of transplant programs' protocols for ensuring informed consent for living organ donation.

Los Angeles [September 17, 2007] -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved new bylaws for OPTN member transplant centers who operate kidney and/or liver programs involving living donor transplants.

Richmond, VA -- The OPTN/UNOS Executive Committee has removed the designation of St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles as a "Member Not in Good Standing." In its place, St. Vincent will have probationary status until it completes a plan of correction to the satisfaction of the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors.

Richmond, Va. -- The Board of Directors of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), at its meeting today, approved a series of resolutions amplifying UNOS’ position regarding “transplant tourism” (purchase of a transplantable organ outside the United States in a way that bypasses laws, rules or processes of any or all countries involved). The resolutions build upon a position statement the Board adopted in June 2006 opposing the practice. The new statement and accompanying rationale are listed in their entirety below.

Richmond, Va. -- At its meeting today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors lifted the status of probation for the University of California Irvine Medical Center (UCI). The Board had placed UCI on probation in March 2006 based on serious deficiencies in patient care involving its liver transplant program. UCI voluntarily withdrew its liver program from OPTN membership in November 2005 but continues to operate kidney and pancreas transplant programs.

San Francisco -- Researchers from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) authored and will present several studies at the American Transplant Congress (WTC), a joint meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation held at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco May 5-9. UNOS staff researchers are authors in a total of 16 papers being presented at ATC. Below is a listing of studies to be presented orally in which UNOS researchers are primary authors. UNOS staff researchers are indicated with an asterisk.

St. Louis, Mo. -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting today, adopted a set of "model elements" for consideration by member organizations who have protocols or are establishing protocols to recover organs from donors after cardiac death (DCD).

Richmond, Va. -- Members of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) have elected 17 members to its Board of Directors including a new president, vice president/president elect and treasurer. The UNOS Board also serves as the Board of Directors for the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. These positions will be effective at the conclusion of the Board meeting on June 26, 2007.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved a policy modification expected to improve the efficiency of organ allocation by better identifying and prioritizing candidates whose immune system would likely reject an organ offer.

After a hearing held today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors declared Kaiser Permanente-San Francisco Medical Center (KPSFMC) to be a “Member Not in Good Standing.” This decision was based on the discovery and review of actions at KPSFMC that inhibited its patients’ access to transplantation that resulted in threats to patient health and safety.

At its meeting today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors voted to place Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego on probation and required completion of a corrective action plan to address deficiencies in its pancreas transplant program.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting Sept. 20, approved a modification of an existing policy that allows heart transplantation in infants with a known blood type mismatch with the donor after all blood-type compatible candidates have been considered.

The F. M. Kirby Foundation of Morristown, N.J., has awarded United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) a $1 million grant to restructure and expand its donation and transplant data management system.

Boston, Mass. -- Researchers from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) authored and will present several studies at the World Transplant Congress (WTC), a joint meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Society of Transplantation and The Transplantation Society held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Mass., July 22-27. UNOS staff researchers are authors in a total of 21 papers being presented at WTC. Below is a listing of studies to be presented in which UNOS researchers are primary authors. UNOS staff researchers are indicated with an asterisk.

Atlanta -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting June 29-30, unanimously approved a statement opposing so-called "transplant tourism" -- the practice of patients seeking organ transplantation in countries where donors are potentially exploited, such as through paid living donation.

Long Beach, Calif., March 23, 2006 -- At its meeting today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors placed the University of California Irvine Medical Center (UCI) on probation pending completion of a corrective action plan. This adverse action was based upon findings of serious deficiencies in patient care involving onsite medical/surgical coverage at UCI’s liver transplant program; UCI’s waitlist, graft and patient survival for its liver transplant program; and UCI’s submission of documentation that contained potentially false representations about the on-site coverage of certain key personnel. UCI voluntarily withdrew its liver transplant program from OPTN membership in November 2005.

CHICAGO, Ill., March 2, 2006 -- At a special meeting held today, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors declared St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles to be a “Member Not in Good Standing.” This action was based upon findings of serious deficiencies in administrative oversight at the hospital that allowed violations of organ allocation policy within its liver transplant program and the deliberate violation of federal regulations by submission of falsified data in an effort to cover up those violations. This is the first time the OPTN/UNOS has levied the designation of “Member Not in Good Standing,” the most severe membership sanction within its independent authority.

RICHMOND, Va. -- The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) recently earned awards from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) 2005 Best in Virginia competition.

Reston, VA -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting Nov. 17-18, voted to expand and improve monitoring and public notice of OPTN/UNOS member institutions for compliance with OPTN/UNOS by-laws and policies and quality outcomes for transplant candidates and recipients.

Patients receiving mTOR Inhibitors Exhibit Fewer Early Malignancies Than Those Receiving Calcineurin-Based Regimens

Richmond, Va. -- A one-million-dollar grant from The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation will help enhance the information technology infrastructure that is used to manage the nation's transplant system. Upgraded information technology will enable UNOS to optimize waitlist management, organ matching and distribution, ultimately benefiting the more than 90,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the United States.

Key Goals Include Supporting Increases in Donation, Transplantation, Survival

St. Louis -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its meeting June 23-24, adopted a series of resolutions to support the decision-making process of living organ donors. These resolutions were developed as part of the OPTN’s evolving responsibility to oversee the practice of live organ transplantation in the United States.

Seattle, Wash. -- The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a numerical scale currently used for liver allocation. MELD scores are based on a patient's risk of dying while waiting for a liver transplant, and are based on objective and verifiable medical data. A study examined the results of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) under the MELD system. This study, among others, was presented at the American Transplant Congress, a combined scientific session of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation, held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Wash.

Seattle, Wash. – A study examined the impact of maintenance immunosuppression regimens and association of induction therapy with de novo malignancies in liver transplant recipients. This study, among others, was presented at the American Transplant Congress, a combined scientific session of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation, held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Wash.

Seattle, Wash. – Researchers from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) authored or will present several studies at the American Transplant Congress (ATC), a joint scientific session of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation held at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, Wash. UNOS staff researchers are authors in a total of 24 papers being presented at ATC. Below is a listing of studies to be presented on Sunday, May 22 in which UNOS researchers are primary authors. UNOS staff researchers are indicated with an asterisk.

Members of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) have elected 19 members to its Board of Directors including a new president, vice president/president elect and treasurer. The UNOS Board also serves as the Board of Directors for the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Richmond, Va. – The number of organ transplants and transplant survival rates are increasing while the demand continues to grow – these are among the trends identified over the last decade in the comprehensive 2004 Annual Report of the U.S. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation, released by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This report was prepared jointly by the Scientific Registry of Transplant recipients (SRTR) and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).

RICHMOND, Va.--The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) recently earned awards from the Health Care Resource & Innovations Congress (HCRIC) and International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) 2004 Best in Virginia competitions.

Reston, Va. -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its semi-annual meeting today, adopted policy revisions to optimize the chance for children to receive timely liver and kidney transplants. The new policies restructure the way pediatric candidates are considered for kidney and liver organ offers.

Reston, Va. – The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its semi-annual meeting today, adopted a position statement opposing efforts to solicit deceased organ donors for transplant candidates where no personal bond exists between the patient and the donor or donor family.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which operates the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, has been certified as compliant with ISO 9001:2000 standards for quality management and quality improvement for its information technology, organ placement and transplant data management functions.

Members of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) have elected 20 members to its Board of Directors including a new president, vice president/president elect, vice president of patient and donor affairs and secretary. The UNOS Board also serves as the Board of Directors for the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

The most recent enhancements to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) policy to guard against potential medical errors in transplant candidate and donor matching were implemented on Feb. 1.

The Health Resources and Services Administration, Special Programs Bureau, Division of Transplantation is issuing this notice to the transplant community to provide clarification about available West Nile virus (WNV) diagnostic and screening tests, and to provide guidance for the use of these tests in the setting of organ donation and transplantation.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors today approved a pilot study to assess the impact of beginning the waiting time for a kidney transplant at the time a candidate first begins dialysis or meets a standard medical definition of kidney failure.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) today launched its expanded patient information Web site (www.transplantliving.org) to meet the needs of patients and families dealing with organ transplantation.

Former NBA star and ESPN/ABC commentator, Sean Elliott today announced a national education campaign to promote organ donation among U.S. minority communities at the American Society of Minority Health Transplant Professionals (ASMHTP) 11th Annual Meeting.

The national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), operated under federal contract by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), has maintained routine operations through the northeastern U.S. blackout that began the afternoon of August 14.

Researchers from the United Network for Organ Sharing authored or will present several studies at the American Transplant Congress. New presentation and study summaries posted online.

Organ and tissue donor families, transplant recipients and others who have been touched by donation may now honor their loved one or donor on the National Donor Memorial Web site.

National Donate Life Month recognizes and applauds all those who help save and enhance the lives of others through donation.

Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has announced that the month of April will be observed as National Donate Life Month to help raise public awareness of the critical need for organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation.

Richmond, Va. -- The Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN), operated by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), continues to review the circumstances of a recent transplant for a patient whose blood type was incompatible with the donor while also taking actions intended to prevent such errors from recurring.

The Organ and Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) share in the public concern for Jesica Santillan, who received a heart-lung transplant with an incompatible blood type as a result of an unfortunate error.

UNOS corporate headquarters has relocated to the Virginia Bio-Technology Research Park in downtown Richmond, VA. UNOS' address and phone numbers (except for existing toll-free lines) have changed.

Thirteen-year-old heart recipient Lacey Wood of Northern California will compete in snowboarding events in Switzerland and Italy.

Richmond, VA -- The most definitive source for organ transplantation information and data, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), has revamped its Web site. The non-profit organization that maintains the nation's waiting list for organ transplants, redesigned www.unos.org, in response to feedback from site visitors and to make it more user friendly.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors voted at its meeting today to increase minority access to kidney transplants by revising allocation priority for tissue matching. Data suggest the policy change would allow more than 200 additional kidney transplants annually for minority patients.

Effective October 30, 2002, the OPTN/UNOS kidney allocation policy will allow expedited placement of kidneys with some increased risk of long-term graft failure due to the donor's age and/or medical history.

Birmingham, Al. -- United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) researcher Wida S. Cherikh, Ph.D. will present the results of studies on access to kidney transplants for African Americans and the benefit of living donation to minorities Friday at the American Society of Minority Health and Transplant Professionals annual meeting in Birmingham, Al.

Federal and state officials are vigorously investigating recent cases of possible development of West Nile viral infection among transplant recipients. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) want to ensure that transplant professionals, transplant candidates and recipients and the public know the status of these investigations.

The Health Resources and Services Administration, (HRSA) Office of Special Programs, is issuing this alert to organizations associated with organ transplantation about a suspected case of transmission of West Nile virus through organ transplantation. In addition, this alert notice provides a summary of the current status of the ongoing investigation of this case.

Richmond, Va. -- More than 80,000 people across the United States are on a waiting list for organ transplant. More than 37,000 of them -- nearly half -- are from minority populations.

Orlando, Fla. -- The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) announced today the creation of a National Donor Memorial as part of its new headquarters currently under construction in Richmond, Virginia.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors addressed financial incentives for organ donation at its semi-annual meeting in Orlando, FL this week.

(Richmond, VA) UNOS is saddened by the recent death of Dr. Robert J. Corry, President of UNOS and Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1989-1990. Dr. Corry served in a number of capacities over a 14-year period. He joined UNOS as a Regional Councillor and then sat on the Membership and Professional Standards, Ad Hoc Multi Listing and Kidney/Pancreas Transplantation Committees. Prior to serving as UNOS President, Dr. Corry held the offices of UNOS Vice President and UNOS Secretary.

Richmond, VA - The following national statistics offer perspective on the great and growing shortage of donated organs for transplantation. They are effective statistics to quote in speeches, editorials, or proposals to help encourage organ donation.

The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its semi-annual meeting here today, unanimously approved a significant refinement to the national policy for matching donated livers with patients awaiting transplants, which should better identify urgent patients and reduce deaths among patients awaiting liver transplants.

The number of people waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States has exceeded 50,000 for the first time, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which maintains the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)...

UNOS and representatives from its A Mission for Life development campaign broke ground Sept. 21 for UNOS' new headquarters to be built in the Virginia Bio-Technology Park in downtown Richmond. The 80,000-square-foot building, which will also include space for an additional tenant selected by the Bio-Technology Park, is expected to be ready for occupancy by December 2002.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the appointment of 21 new members to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation. The committee will advise the Secretary on all aspects of organ donation, procurement, allocation and transplantation, including a review of organ allocation policies developed by the nation's transplantation network.

San Diego, CA -- The United Network for Organ Sharing's (UNOS) Board of Directors, at its semi-annual meeting June 28 and 29, adopted a statement condemning organ brokering activities and calling for U.S. transplant organizations to avoid any activities that may support the buying or selling of organs.

San Diego, CA -- The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, at its semi-annual meeting June 28 and 29, endorsed further development of a proposed policy enhancement to prioritize liver transplant candidates by a clinically based formula that indicates their short-term risk of death without a transplant. This proposed policy is expected to reduce deaths on the liver waiting list.

The national Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) Web site, www.optn.org, is being launched Monday, July 2. The site provides the most current U.S. donation and transplantation data available on the Internet.

Richmond, VA - The number of people waiting to receive a lifesaving organ transplant in the United States has surpassed the unprecedented 75,000 mark.

Richmond, VA - The gap between organ transplants and the number of patients waiting for an organ transplant more than doubled in the 1990s, according to a report prepared by the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Richmond, Va. -- The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Website, UNOS Online, has added another Web award to its growing list of accolades. The "Golden Web Award" is given to sites by the International Association of Web Masters and Designers in recognition of creativity, integrity and excellence on the Web.

Richmond, Va. -- Whether for a 5-year-old Miami boy in need of a kidney or a California woman donating her organs, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) utilizes Internet technology to save thousands of lives through the generous gift made by organ donors.

Richmond,Virginia - The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) hosted two officials from Mexico's National Transplant Council (CONATRA): Luis Alvarez Balbas, M.D., and Fabritzio Perez, Esq., legal advisor for CONATRA. The two visited UNOS' offices July 27 and 28.

Richmond, Va. -- In an effort to increase the rate of organ donations, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Tufts University School of Medicine, and Medscape, Inc. today announced the launch of the nation's first Internet-based continuing medical education program on organ donation for both health care professionals and the general public.

Richmond, Va. - The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has received a $1 million grant from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, the largest gift in the not-for-profit network's 15-year history. The award is also the first major contribution to UNOS' Mission for Life Capital and Endowment Campaign.

Richmond, Va. -- The United Network for Organ Sharing and those in the transplant community share in the grief of Walter Payton's death from cancer on Nov. 1, 1999.

Atlanta, GA -- The United Network for Organ Sharing's board of directors has approved a revision to U.S. liver transplant policy that broadens access for the most urgent patients while balancing access and outcomes for others awaiting transplants. This refinement will also result in more pediatric patients receiving transplants.

The UNOS Liver/Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee developed the liver policy being presented to the UNOS Board of Directors after extensive work and deliberation. First, the 30-member committee developed five optimal performance goals to help evaluate different policies. The goals were as follows:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) announced April 16 that preliminary data show cadaveric donors increased 5.6 percent in 1998, the first substantial increase since 1995.

Richmond, VA -- The information technology developed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has received the Greater Richmond Technology Council's 1998 Breakthrough Technology Award.

Richmond, VA - The information technology developed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has received local and national recognition from three prestigious technology organizations.

UNOS is pleased to announce release of a new patient resource, "What Every Patient Needs to Know." The 48-page booklet is chock full of critical information for patients awaiting transplantation, and their families.

Richmond, VA -- The number of organ transplants performed throughout the U.S. in 1996 remained virtually unchanged from the 1995 total, according to data compiled by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). While transplants from living donors increased approximately five percent, transplants from cadaveric (non-living) donors stayed nearly the same.

Richmond, VA -- A unique computer simulation has been used for the first time to help establish national health care policy for organ allocation. This policy development is considered a breakthrough in addressing a major public health crisis in this country: the critical shortage of transplantable organs.