in focus
Through the HOPE Act, 24 hospitals have performed a total of 223 transplants (170 kidney and 53 liver transplants).
Five years after its implementation, the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (also known as the HOPE Act) has continued to provide transplant opportunities for candidates with HIV who are willing to accept organ offers from donors identified as HIV-positive.
The HOPE Act, signed into law November 21, 2013, called for the use of organs from HIV-positive donors for transplantation into HIV-positive candidates under approved research protocols designed to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of such organ transplants.
The provisions of the Act took effect on November 21, 2015. Initially the protocol only authorized kidney and liver transplants. In a recent update, implemented in May 2020, organs of any type may now be transplanted under HOPE Act protocols.
As of November 2020, 30 transplant hospitals are enrolled with the OPTN to participate in HOPE Act research. Participating hospitals must conduct transplants under IRB-approved research protocols conforming to the Final Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act Safeguards and Research Criteria for Transplantation of Organs Infected with HIV, which were developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, one of the National Institutes of Health.
Organ procurement organizations are able to run matches for HIV-positive donors. The only candidates who will appear on match runs for these donor offers will be those listed at transplant programs that have an IRB-approved protocol, and whose HIV status and willingness to accept an HIV positive organ has been confirmed.
Learn more about the HOPE Act and related OPTN policy.
In focus
LifeShare of Oklahoma increases DCD donor recovery during COVID-19
DCD recoveries are up across the country as OPOs build effective practices.
Using registries to improve outcomes and transplant management
UNOS builds and hosts registries enabling OPOs and transplant centers to address issues such as treatment, payment, quality improvement, benchmarking and clinical research.
Preserving candidate wait time during temporary inactivation due to COVID-19
Altering organ acceptance criteria protects candidates at risk of COVID-19 from losing accrued wait time.
OPO testing of deceased donors for COVID-19 ensures patient safety
Recent report shows 100 percent COVID-19 donor testing by OPOs.
