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COVID-19
COVID-19 update: July 21, 2022
New FDA announcements on Paxlovid and Novavax vaccine, Adjuvanted; Summer 2022 regional meetings to be in-person
COVID-19 update: July 8, 2022
CDC’s interim recommendations for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for children from 6 months of age; FDA recommends Omicron BA.4/5 component for vaccine boosters
Kidney – Pancreas
Pre-implementation notice: Minimum kidney donor criteria established for biopsies
Effective Sept. 6, OPOs will be required to perform renal procurement biopsies for deceased kidney donors meeting certain criteria.
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Policy change impacting KPD eligibility coming Aug. 30
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options will go into effect Aug. 30, as well as changes to the equivalences used for HLA matching and screening of unacceptable antigens between candidates and donors.
Liver – Intestine
Two-year monitoring report for liver, intestine policy shows success in key aspects
Report details outcomes since policy implementation in February 2020.
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Updated National Liver Review Board guidance now in effect
Updates made to guidance for HCC and adult MELD exceptions.
Heart – Lung
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
New exception pathway available for heart device recalls
In order to address patient safety concerns, the OPTN Executive Committee approved a modification of OPTN Policy 6.4: Adult and Pediatric Status Exceptions on July 11 that is now in effect.
Emergency action: New exception pathway for heart device recalls
This new policy will allow transplant programs to submit an exception request on behalf of adult heart transplant candidates for a Status 1, 2 or 3 exception without requiring hospitalization if the FDA has recalled their implanted mechanical circulatory support device.
VCA
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Updates to living donor exclusion criteria now in effect
Four exclusion criteria in OPTN Policy 14.4.E have been updated to align with current research and guidelines as well as ensure consistency throughout OPTN policy language.
Improving the system together
Two new transplant performance metrics now in effect, are first phase of enhanced monitoring system
New system will more holistically evaluate program performance.
Capital Pride: WRTC on being meaningful community advocates all year round
D.C. OPO’s LGBTQIA+ advocacy work increases organ donation.
Building a team, serving a community: Pride at NEDS
New England Donor Services LGBTQIA+ outreach meets the community where they are.
UNet
UNet user audit begins Aug. 15
Starting Aug. 15, site security administrators will have three weeks to conduct a required audit of UNet users. It must be completed by Sept. 2.
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options coming Aug. 30
Updates to HLA typing and unacceptable antigen reporting options and equivalencies will go into effect Aug. 30.
New and changed data collection on TIEDI coming Aug. 30
Several policy changes impacting TIEDI forms were approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in March 2022.
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
Pre-implementation notice: Minimum kidney donor criteria established for biopsies
Effective Sept. 6, OPOs will be required to perform renal procurement biopsies for deceased kidney donors meeting certain criteria.
New and changed data collection on TIEDI coming Aug. 30
Several policy changes impacting TIEDI forms were approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in March 2022.
Updates to data submission policy coming Aug. 30
Effective Aug. 30, new requirements under revisions to OPTN Policy 18: Data Submission Requirements include a data lock provision to make changes to any of the eight TIEDI forms.
Policy monitoring
Two-year monitoring report for liver, intestine policy shows success in key aspects
Report details outcomes since policy implementation in February 2020.
Two-year monitoring report summarizes National Liver Review Board activity
Report covers activity since the implementation of the acuity circles liver allocation policy.
One-year monitoring report shows increases in kidney transplants for Black, Hispanic, Asian and pediatric patients following policy changes
Report captures first 12 months of data after implementation of 250 nautical mile circles.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
Kidney monitoring data shows 16% increase in transplant
Aimed at increasing equity, a report on new allocation policy shows increases in transplant among key populations.
Collaboration
Collaborative improvement project helped OPOs increase DCD transplant in 2021
Project participants experienced more DCD recoveries and transplants than the rest of the nation.
Measuring success: data highlights from the first cohort of the DCD procurement collaborative
Participating OPOs surpassed their project goals, saw higher increases than the rest of the nation.
30 OPOs participating in national project to increase procurement of DCD donors
Number of DCD donor recoveries in 2021 exceeded previous year’s record by more than 29 percent.
UNOS launching new member focused improvement initiative in 2022
Customized individual improvement projects will help OPTN members meet specific goals.
Education
Playlists added to UNOS Connect
This new enhancement makes keeping up to date on essential education easier than ever.
June 14 webinar addresses median MELD at transplant based on donor hospital
Upcoming policy change will align median MELD at transplant (MMaT) scores around the donor hospital and update sorting within liver allocation.
TMF 2022 presenter Olivia Kates, M.D., on the theory and practice of vaccine mandates
Transplant infectious disease doctor examines the factual and ethical issues involved in vaccine mandates.
What is LAS? A new animation for patients explains the lung allocation score
New animated video for patients and their caregivers explains the lung allocation score used in transplant.
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
From UNOS leaders
Thanking our community, honoring donors
A message from our CEO about a lifesaving milestone
Equity means providing a transplant for every single patient that needs one
As the mission-driven non-profit serving as the nation’s transplant system, we work with our community partners to ensure equitable policies and outcomes.
New kidney and pancreas allocation system will increase equity
Through a nearly three-year policy development process, the organ donation and transplant community collaborated to increase equity in access to transplant for candidates nationwide.
From the community
The liver allocation policy is a success we need to share: Terry Box, M.D., liver recipient
Box’s op-ed highlights how effective policy development is resulting in sicker patients getting liver transplants faster.
Driving toward optimal equity: Vincent Casingal, M.D.
Transplant surgeon on the success of the new kidney allocation policy.
Transplant innovations for today and tomorrow: David Klassen, M.D.
UNOS chief medical officer on the innovations making a difference in transplant.
“For us and everyone else in the transplant community, the ultimate form of equity means providing a transplant for every single patient that needs one.”
Patient safety
Monkeypox and solid organ donation
The OPTN Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC) is evaluating this situation as it develops.
New exception pathway available for heart device recalls
In order to address patient safety concerns, the OPTN Executive Committee approved a modification of OPTN Policy 6.4: Adult and Pediatric Status Exceptions on July 11 that is now in effect.
Emergency action: New exception pathway for heart device recalls
This new policy will allow transplant programs to submit an exception request on behalf of adult heart transplant candidates for a Status 1, 2 or 3 exception without requiring hospitalization if the FDA has recalled their implanted mechanical circulatory support device.
Transplant hospital
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options coming Aug. 30
Updates to HLA typing and unacceptable antigen reporting options and equivalencies will go into effect Aug. 30.
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Waitlist enhancements and new kidney features coming
On Sept. 27, UNOS will launch the first in a series of enhancements to the visual design and workflows in Waitlist.
OPO
Pre-implementation notice: Minimum kidney donor criteria established for biopsies
Effective Sept. 6, OPOs will be required to perform renal procurement biopsies for deceased kidney donors meeting certain criteria.
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options coming Aug. 30
Updates to HLA typing and unacceptable antigen reporting options and equivalencies will go into effect Aug. 30.
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Histocompatibility
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options coming Aug. 30
Updates to HLA typing and unacceptable antigen reporting options and equivalencies will go into effect Aug. 30.
Public comment open from Aug. 3 through Sept. 28, 2022
The OPTN is offering 15 items for review, including one white paper, one committee update, three concept papers, and 10 policy proposals.
Policy change impacting KPD eligibility coming Aug. 30
Changes to HLA and unacceptable antigen options will go into effect Aug. 30, as well as changes to the equivalences used for HLA matching and screening of unacceptable antigens between candidates and donors.
Public comment was open Jan. 27 – March 23. See what the community had to say
2021 transplants
41,354
Total Transplants January - December 2021 as of 01/27/2021
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes