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Press releases
UNOS plan reimagines governance of U.S. transplant system to best serve patients
Roadmap outlines how to create an independent OPTN Board in a move endorsed by Congress
UNOS applauds house action to improve air transport of donor organs
Floor vote establishes a work group to review whether organs transported via commercial flight could once again travel safely in a plane’s cabin
UNOS embraces reform of the U.S. donation and transplant system
Ahead of today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the nation’s organ donation and transplant system, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reiterates its commitment to modernizing and reforming the nation’s organ donation and transplant system and working with Congress to achieve measurable results for patients.
UNOS advances plan to restructure transplant network governance to best serve patients
To increase autonomy and transparency to better serve the nation’s transplant patients, UNOS recommends a restructure of respective boards of directors and to establish the OPTN as an independent non-profit entity.
Change addressing disparity for black kidney patients takes effect
New policy allows for waiting time adjustments for those disadvantaged by the use of race-based measures of kidney health.
UNOS leadership requests USDS engagement concerning leaked report and impact on patients
Leaders in organ donation and transplantation seek meeting and assessment with U.S. Digital Service concerning IT systems that make over 41,000 transplants possible per year.
UNOS seeks better air transportation for lifesaving organs
Board Presidents and Interim CEO request meeting with DOT, HRSA, FAA and TSA to find paths for improvement.
Organ transplants are increasing
- 2023: More than 46,000 organ transplants performed and total kidney transplants exceeded 27,000
- 2022: U.S. surpassed historic milestone of 1 million transplants
- Liver transplants increased by 4.3 percent since policy implementation
- 29% increase in kidney transplants with policy change
About us
FAQs
- What does UNOS do?
- About deceased organ donation
- Who decides who gets a donated organ?
- Who does what: The national organ transplant system
- Organ Procurement Organizations: Increasing organ donation
Issues and advocacy
Strengthening organ donation and transplant
- Collaborating to support donation and transplant internationally.
- The waitlist is better described as a giant pool of patients. Watch a video
- The transplant journey and the technology that drives it
Working together: Our nation’s organ donation and transplant system
- The nation’s system functions as a public-private partnership. View a diagram of its structure
- The OPTN, HRSA and CMS have different roles. Learn about the roles
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit organization focused on saving lives. UNOS’ portfolio encompasses organ donation and transplantation, as well as broader public health projects, through its work developing new technologies and initiatives, conducting data-driven research and analysis, providing expert consulting services, advocating for patients, and being a leader in bringing communities together to save lives. For more than 40 years, UNOS has helped build a national donation and transplantation system that serves as a model around the world.
Data
Serving as the OPTN, UNOS has collected data on every organ donation and transplant event occurring in the U.S. since October 1, 1987.
Equity in access
Monitors trends related to access to deceased donor transplants among active transplant candidates.
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