By organ
By program
UNet
Policy
Patient safety
Improvement
Learn
Perspectives
COVID
All
Top stories
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
President signs new law increasing competition for OPTN contract
We are committed to working with HRSA, Congress, the wider donation and transplantation community and other stakeholders to ensure the best possible system for patients, donors and their families.
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
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
President signs new law increasing competition for OPTN contract
We are committed to working with HRSA, Congress, the wider donation and transplantation community and other stakeholders to ensure the best possible system for patients, donors and their families.
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
U.S. House of Representatives calls on FAA to improve air transport of donor organs
Vote calls for a work group to consider whether organs transported via commercial flight could once again travel safely in a plane’s cabin
OPTN Board approves measures to improve kidney offer acceptance process
Greater use of Offer Filters expected to increase efficiency of organ matches.
UNOS statement on the 2023 OPO Public Performance Report by CMS
UNOS supports working with CMS to increase accountability and improve the performance of our nation’s 56 OPOs.
Kidney – Pancreas
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
Liver – Intestine
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
Updated median MELD at transplant scores in effect Sept. 27
MMaT values are updated twice each year.
Updates to medical urgency scoring of liver transplant candidates in effect
Updated criteria will better identify and prioritize urgent candidates.
Heart – Lung
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
Implementation notice: Lung policy modification for blood type
Effective Sept. 27, 2023, the points assigned for blood type in lung allocation have been updated
VCA
UNet is online: VCA and data collection projects released
Allocation of 10 Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs has been added to UNet, along with extensive changes to existing data collection forms across organs.
VCA allocation is now in UNet
Allocation of all Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs has been moved to UNetSM. Any patients on the “VCA Candidate List” have been added to WaitlistSM by UNOS staff.
Important note on upcoming VCA data collection
Members will continue to receive TRR and TRF forms for VCA transplants from UNOS via secure email and return the finished forms via secure email.
Improving the system together
UNOS research: Insights from the American Transplant Congress
“There is so much intellectual capital assembled at UNOS to study and evaluate the transplant system and find ways to improve through research and analytics.”
Predicting the future to help patients today
New tool offers never-before-seen insights on the impact that accepting or declining an organ offer could have on a patient.
OPO partners with Black history museum to increase organ donor registrations
Kia Potts tells us how LifeNet Health and a Richmond-area cultural institution worked together to change lingering misconceptions about organ donation.
UNet
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
Implementation notice: Lung policy modification for blood type
Effective Sept. 27, 2023, the points assigned for blood type in lung allocation have been updated
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D. on new policies that put patients first
Policy changes
FAQ: New multi-organ polices in effect
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Ad-hoc Multi Organ Transplantation Committee has implemented several safety net policies to ensure patients in need of multiple organ transplants to get priority when they become medically eligible.
Implementation notice: Lung policy modification for blood type
Effective Sept. 27, 2023, the points assigned for blood type in lung allocation have been updated
Updates to medical urgency scoring of liver transplant candidates in effect
Updated criteria will better identify and prioritize urgent candidates.
Policy monitoring
Four-year monitoring report for adult heart allocation now available
Latest report shows key measures of adult heart allocation following policy changes implemented in October 2018.
Two-year monitoring report continues to show improvements in equity in access to kidney transplants for several key populations
New data monitoring report contains key measures of the current kidney allocation system, 2-years post implementation.
Six-month monitoring report for heart policy following a device recall now available
Policy allows exception status for heart candidates with a recalled assist device.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
Research in focus: examining organ offers
Three recent studies from UNOS researchers examine offer acceptance practices and impact of Offer Filters tool.
Collaboration
Learning Congress planned for OPTN DCD Lung Transplant Collaborative
The Sept. Learning Congress, open to all adult lung programs, will mark the conclusion of eight-month collaborative focused on increasing DCD lung transplantation.
Public Comment open from July 27 through Sept. 19, 2023
The OPTN is offering 14 items for review.
Public comment now open through March 15
The winter 2023 public comment cycle opened Jan. 19 and closes March 15.
National collaborative focusing on organ offer acceptance to launch at the end of January 2023
More than 80 transplant programs are participating in the project; a virtual option for the in-person kickoff event is available to the entire community.
Education
UNOS researchers present studies at 2023 American Transplant Congress
Twenty-two UNOS staff members presented research from 42 studies at the 2023 American Transplant Congress, addressing topics including social determinants of health, offer-acceptance practices, and the impacts of allocation-policy changes.
Webinar to address kidney-after-thoracic safety net, combined kidney-thoracic allocation
The webinar will be recorded and made available for later viewing.
TMF 2023 Heckenkemper Award winner: Marian O’Rourke, RN, CCTC honored
The donation and transplant community recognizes Marian O’Rourke for her decades of contributions to patients and professionals.
TMF 2023 presenter Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil., on increasing organ supply with xenotransplantation
TMF session to explore threats to the organ supply and alternative, renewable solutions.
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
Perspectives
Why I volunteer: Valinda Jones, M.S.N., RN, kidney recipient
Board member describes the vital role of volunteers with personal experience in donation and transplantation.
Updates from TMF, HRSA’s Modernization Initiative and government outreach
Being at TMF reminded me that there could not be a better time to be the CEO of UNOS. I am so pleased to be leading our community into the future as we continue to save lives, even during these times of immense change.
Matthew Cooper, M.D. emphasizes collaboration before nation’s transplant surgeons
The best outcome for patients in this country will be achieved by working together collaboratively to drive improvement rather than being divided.
Leadership news
President signs new law increasing competition for OPTN contract
We are committed to working with HRSA, Congress, the wider donation and transplantation community and other stakeholders to ensure the best possible system for patients, donors and their families.
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
In Memoriam – Isabel Stenzel Byrnes
UNOS celebrates the life of Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, a lung recipient who, with her twin sister Anabel, became a voice for patients and a passionate advocate for donation and transplant. Isabel and Anabel were both born with cystic fibrosis in 1972. Not expected to live...
“The dozens of topics presented at TMF shared one thing—our community’s dedication to doing everything we can to constantly improve the system and better serve the patients who rely on us.”
Patient safety
Public Comment open from July 27 through Sept. 19, 2023
The OPTN is offering 14 items for review.
Four-year monitoring report for adult heart allocation now available
Latest report shows key measures of adult heart allocation following policy changes implemented in October 2018.
An important message from the MPSC on reducing risk and ensuring patient safety
The Membership and Professional Standards Committee shares opportunities for improvement with OPTN members.
Transplant hospital
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
Implementation notice: Lung policy modification for blood type
Effective Sept. 27, 2023, the points assigned for blood type in lung allocation have been updated
OPO
Now in effect: Simultaneous heart-kidney and lung-kidney allocation changes
New policies require candidates to meet medical eligibility criteria to be eligible for a required kidney share on the heart or lung match.
Now in effect: Changes to liver-kidney nautical mile threshold
The required share threshold for simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) allocation has expanded from 250 nautical miles to 500 nautical miles for eligible adult candidates (e.g., Status 1A or MELD of 29 or greater).
UNet is online: VCA and data collection projects released
Allocation of 10 Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) organs has been added to UNet, along with extensive changes to existing data collection forms across organs.
Histocompatibility
Member actions required: data collection and VCA implementation
Patient care will not be impacted during this time.
UNOS researchers present studies at 2023 American Transplant Congress
Twenty-two UNOS staff members presented research from 42 studies at the 2023 American Transplant Congress, addressing topics including social determinants of health, offer-acceptance practices, and the impacts of allocation-policy changes.
Now in effect: Changes to security personnel requirements and reporting
These changes were approved by the OPTN Board of Directors at their June 26, 2023 meeting.
What happened in public comment? See what the community had to say. See comments
The U.S. surpassed 1 million transplants in 2022
The gifts of generous donors and their courageous families made several lifesaving transplant records possible.
Stories and tributes
Each person touched by organ donation transplant has a unique story. Threads of hope connect them. Find videos, stories and tributes