Organ distribution
Lung policy
Making allocation more fair and flexible
Making lung distribution fair and equitable
In its continued drive toward increasing equity, the donation and transplant community has developed a more fair and flexible lung allocation system. On March 2, 2023, new policies will replace the current lung classification system.
Lungs are the first organ type to be allocated under this new framework, called continuous distribution. In continuous distribution of lungs, candidates will receive a composite allocation score, which means no single factor will determine a lung patient’s priority. Watch explanatory videos
Lung continuous distribution
Prepare for the changes coming March 2, 2023 with training in UNOS Connect. View the OPTN toolkit for FAQs and resources.
Lung and heart news
Lung CAS summary data updated
Beginning Wednesday, September 28, 2022, lung transplant programs will be able to access a program-specific resource report in the Data Services Portal.
Submitting LAS exception requests for candidates diagnosed with PH
View candidates’ LAS data as of Jan. 20, 2023.
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.
Transplant patient webinar addresses upcoming changes to lung distribution
The OPTN will host a webinar for transplant patients to learn about upcoming changes to lung distribution.
How will patients benefit?
Simulation modeling suggests that the new policy is likely to improve key measures of the lung transplant system, including:
- Reducing patient deaths on the waiting list
- Increasing transplant rates for the sickest candidates
- Decreasing geographic variability in transplant rates
How did the community develop this policy?
The community was able to participate in the development of the policy through several public comment periods and online interactive values exercises. The methodology behind the exercises was a new way to collect community input early in the process.
Patients benefit from a more efficient system that gets the right organ to the right patient, at the right time.
The Board of Directors considered the community’s feedback and unanimously approved the policy in December 2021.
Learn more about the steps the Lung Committee followed to build the framework.
The U.S. surpassed 1 million transplants in 2022
The gifts of generous donors and their courageous families made several lifesaving transplant records possible.Winter 2023 public comment is open Jan. 19 - March 15. Watch videos and Add your voice
Essential reading and resources
How is policy changing?
Learn how the community is developing continuous distribution, a more equitable system of allocating deceased donor organs.
What is Composite Allocation Score (CAS)?
Answers to the most common questions from people seeking a lung transplant for themselves or a loved one.
Building a new, more flexible system for organ allocation
How multi-criteria decision-making methodologies and big data analytics are helping to design continuous distribution policies
For patients
- Information about transplant
- Brochures: Questions and answers for transplant candidates (English and Spanish versions)
- Patient FAQs: Lung allocation based on the Composite Allocation Score (CAS)
For professionals
- Toolkits: allocation calculators, policy and guidance, patient education
- Lung allocation system on OPTN
- Lung OPTN committee