News and perspectives
By organ
By program
UNet
Policy
Patient safety
Improvement
Learn
Perspectives
COVID
All
Press releases
U.S. surpasses 49,000 organ transplants while deceased organ donations dip
The U.S. achieved a record for organ transplants for the fifth consecutive year.
UNOS responds to GAO report on the OPTN
Report says HRSA needs to create clear plan for OPTN Modernization.
How UNOS’ role in the OPTN has changed under the additional contract extension
Learn what OPTN work UNOS is still performing under the current contract, and what work is no longer part of UNOS’ portfolio.
How UNOS’ role in the OPTN has changed under the additional contract extension
Learn what OPTN work UNOS is still performing under the current contract, and what work is no longer part of UNOS’ portfolio.
UNOS Responds to Recent HRSA Statements
HRSA comments about UNOS were inaccurate.
Open letter from Maureen as she leaves UNOS
Former UNOS CEO reflects on her decades of service.
UNOS reaches contract agreement with HRSA
UNOS has reached an agreement with HRSA on a contract for OPTN work that will take effect on Dec. 30, 2025, immediately following the expiration of our current contract.
HRSA assumes management of OPTN website
Effective December 15, HRSA has taken over full management of the OPTN website from UNOS.
Learn about issues impacting patients, donors, donor families, and the national system. Issues and advocacy
About UNOS
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
Working together: Our nation’s organ donation and transplant system
- The OPTN, HRSA and CMS have different roles. Learn about the roles
UNOS is a nonprofit on a mission to save and transform lives through research, innovation and collaboration. UNOS builds on its experience and expertise to strengthen organ donation and transplantation systems and enhance public health. The nonprofit helps people live life without limits by developing products and services, conducting data-driven research and analysis, providing expert consulting services, advocating for reforms to help patients, and partnering to drive a greater impact.
Kidney – Pancreas
Waiting time adjustment approved for kidney transplant candidates affected by race-based calculation
Previous use of race-based calculations disadvantaged some Black patients by overestimating their kidney function.
Kidney transplants set new record in 2021 following policy change
The new policy helped increase the number of kidney’s transplanted, but the system is still changing to help more people.
Implementation notice: Phase I of new kidney medical urgency requirements
Kidney programs should update candidate data ahead of Dec. 15 final implementation.
Liver – Intestine
Updated liver and intestinal organ allocation policy to be implemented Feb. 4, 2020
New policy will be implemented Feb. 4 to allow for computer programming and notification of members.
New liver allocation policy still in effect
Liver policy update May 15
Changes to liver policy and exception score process are in place
The transplant community came together to develop and approve the new policy.
Heart – Lung
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Improving the system together
Innovating to strengthen the organ transplant system
UNOS Labs tries out new ideas in behavioral research, data science and technology. Our researchers develop innovative solutions to improve the national organ network and increase organ utilization.
Inside the Organ Center
They work with OPOs and transplant hospitals around the clock to match organs and save lives across the country, 365 days a year. Meet the team members at the “heart” of UNOS.
Living donation: One person can make a big difference
Living donor Susan Dubuque discusses her decision to become an altruistic organ donor. Read her motivational story today!
UNet
New data tool for transplant programs: Living liver donor follow-up report available on UNet℠
The kidney living donor follow-up report has also been recently updated as the UNOS business intelligence team builds new products and refines legacy tools.
Dual and en bloc kidney changes in place
We implemented phase 1 system changes on July 29. Phase 2 policy and system changes will be effective September 5.
Updated OPO Benchmark report released today — contains new comparison group
Access the updated report from the data services portal in UNet.
“… policy is the living, breathing expression of group values.”
Martha Pavlakis, M.D.
Policy changes
Implementation notice: Phase I of new kidney medical urgency requirements
Kidney programs should update candidate data ahead of Dec. 15 final implementation.
New national liver and intestinal organ transplant system in effect Feb. 4, 2020
New national liver and intestinal organ transplant system based on acuity circles implemented Feb. 4, 2020
Pre-implementation notice: Liver and intestinal organ distribution based on acuity circles to be implemented Feb. 4, 2020
This will also include a conversion of each transplant hospital’s MMaT score to reflect transplants performed at hospitals within a radius of 250 miles.
Policy monitoring
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Learn: Collaborative improvement and educational resources
IN FOCUS
7,000 organs tracked with UNOS Organ Tracking Service
30% of all OPOs use the UNOS Organ Tracking Service to monitor organs in transit.
Education
TMF 2025 presenters Geatrakas and Socci on Creating a Healthy Relationship between transplant staff and the C-Suite
"Building strong relationships with the C-suite isn’t a one-time ask; it’s an ongoing partnership that drives success and ultimately benefits the patients we serve.” Sara Geatrakas, MSN, RN, Business & Operations Manager and Clare Socci, BSN, RN, Director, Organ...
TMF 2025 speaker Cathi Murphey on Kidney Paired Donation
Learn more from Murphey at the 2025 Transplant Management Forum in San Antonio, TX.
Effective practices
Learn about collaborative improvement projects
Patient safety
UNOS is your Partner in Patient Safety; Keep Us in the Loop!
Assisting members in their efforts to assure the safety of transplant patients and living donors is a top OPTN priority.
Transplant hospital
A lasting legacy: Lisa Schaffner honored posthumously with newly renamed award
The late UNOS director of public communications helped establish an award recognizing advocates in 2010. Now, the same award has been renamed to honor its very first champion.
UPDATE: Randomized trial of mild hypothermia and machine perfusion in deceased organ donors
“A Randomized Trial of Mild Hypothermia and Machine Perfusion in Deceased Organ Donors for Protection against Delayed Graft Function in Kidney Transplant Recipients” is a study in brain dead organ donors.
UNOS hosts briefing for congressional staff members
At the invitation of the Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Awareness Caucus, UNOS representatives presented a briefing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 29.
OPO
A lasting legacy: Lisa Schaffner honored posthumously with newly renamed award
The late UNOS director of public communications helped establish an award recognizing advocates in 2010. Now, the same award has been renamed to honor its very first champion.
UNOS hosts briefing for congressional staff members
At the invitation of the Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Awareness Caucus, UNOS representatives presented a briefing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 29.
Introducing UNOS’ new mission and vision statements
Board of Directors President Maryl Johnson, M.D., shares UNOS’ new mission and vision statements.
Histocompatibility
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.