Matching organs. Saving lives.
Our mission is to advance organ availability and transplantation to support patients through education, technology and policy development.
How organ matching works
When a patient is “added to the list,” a transplant hospital adds a patient’s medical information into UNOS’ computer system. When a deceased organ donor is identified, UNOS’ computer system generates a ranked list of transplant candidates, or “matches”, based on blood type, tissue type, medical urgency, waiting time, expected benefit, geography and other medical criteria.
Facts
- You can be a donor at any age.
- Celebrity or financial status are not factors in getting a transplant.
- Donation is possible with many medical conditions.
- All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation.
- A national computer system and strict standards are in place to ensure ethical and fair distribution of organs.
- A healthy person can become a living donor by donating a kidney, or a part of the liver, lung, intestine, blood or bone marrow.
- Learn more organ donation facts.
Professionals
Donor families
News
A message from Brian Shepard about an upcoming member survey
SIR will be conducting a 12-15 minute online member study on our behalf. Please watch for an upcoming email from SIR inviting you to participate in this study.
OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors releases Indiana Donor Network and Gulf Coast Medical Center from probation
At a teleconference May 2, 2018, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors restored full member privileges for Indiana Donor Network and Gulf Coast Medical Center.
New booklet advises parents of pediatric transplant patients
A new resource booklet, “What Every Parent Needs to Know,” is available for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents who need or receive an organ transplant.