Register now for a May 29 session on informed constent.

OPTN policy changes for living donation create national standards for evaluations and informed consent of all living kidney donors.

The 2011 Annual Data Report is now available.

Registration is available for the one-hour session that will cover policy changes that go into effect February 1, 2013.

Two template tools are available for hospitals to use or customize to document ABO verification of transplant recipients and living donors in the operating room.

The national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), administered by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), is dedicated to providing assistance to transplant institutions to maintain critical services for transplant patients and living donors in the event of a natural disaster.

The national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), administered by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), is dedicated to providing assistance to transplant candidates and potential living donors in the event of a natural disaster affecting long-term services of transplant centers.

Learn more about and register for two upcoming webinars.

Resources are available for OPO and transplant center staff who would like to encourage information-sharing between transplant recipients and donor families/living donors.

At its June 2012 meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved a strategic plan for the OPTN to serve as a framework for prioritizing development of policies, bylaws and activities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued a proposed rule to include vascularized composite allografts (VCA) within the definition of organs under the authority of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).

The 2010 OPTN / SRTR Annual Data Report (ADR) is now available for online viewing.

From September to mid-November, 10 transplants took place through the OPTN's national kidney paired donation (KPD) pilot program.

Among the 14 Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) policy and bylaw proposals currently being circulated for public comment, two are intended to broaden access to donated livers for urgent transplant candidates.

Members of the OPTN Minority Affairs Committee and UNOS Research Department staff authored a study published in the August 2011 issue of the American Journal of Transplantation, examining the relative risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among prior living kidney donors by the donors' ethnicity and gender.

Richmond,, Va. -- At its board meeting June 28 and 29, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors declared Nevada Donor Network to be a "Member Not in Good Standing."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) are alerting health care providers that Weck Hem-o-Lok Ligating Clips should NOT be used for the ligation of the renal artery during a laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy because of serious risks to the donor.

Recent news reports have inaccurately described a request for public feedback on concepts that may be considered as part of future OPTN kidney allocation policy.

In a continuing effort to improve the national kidney allocation system, the OPTN/UNOS Kidney Transplantation Committee requests feedback from the transplant community and the public on three proposed concepts for allocation.

St. Louis: The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, meeting Nov. 8-9, approved a proposal to broaden potential participation in the recently established national pilot program for kidney paired donation (KPD) transplantation.

The national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), operated under federal contract by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), will soon perform the first match run of a national pilot program to facilitate kidney paired donation (KPD) transplants.

Four organizations representing more than 80 kidney transplant programs nationwide have been selected to enroll patients and potential living donors in a national pilot project to facilitate kidney paired donation (KPD) transplants.

The Liver and Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee is sponsoring a forum to discuss potential options for improving policies for allocation and distribution of deceased donor livers. The forum will be held on April 12 at the Loews Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, GA and if you aren't able to attend in person, it will be broadcast through Live Meeting and teleconference.

The following information regarding H1N1 influenza preparedness has been updated. It includes more specific recommendations for donor evaluation and acceptance of donors with known or suspected H1N1 infection, as well as links to additional online resources.

At its November meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the following slate of nominees for Board appointments beginning in June 2010. Candidates were recommended by the OPTN/UNOS Nominating Committee. OPTN/UNOS member voting representatives will receive a ballot and biographical information for the nominees in January and the election will be completed in February or March (specific date yet to be determined).

As part of an ongoing effort to identify emerging trends in the field of organ donation and transplantation, more than 50 experts from many areas of the transplant community have prepared the comprehensive 2008 Annual Report of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation (OPTN) and U.S. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR).

Along with the life-saving and life-enhancing benefits of organ transplantation, there is always some risk that a disease present in the donor can be conveyed to recipients. The OPTN/UNOS Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC) investigates reports of potential disease transmission from donor to recipient, both to better estimate the risk of transmission and to recommend measures either to reduce the future risk or to improve treatment of recipients with a donor-derived disease.

Recent news regarding liver transplantation has raised public questions regarding how donated livers are allocated and potential variation in transplant waiting times. The national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), operated by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) under federal contract, cannot discuss details of individual transplant candidates subject to federal laws and regulations regarding patient confidentiality. The OPTN can address general questions about policy and process.

Recent news events have sparked public questions regarding directed donation. The following information is intended to address common questions about the practice.

The OPTN shares in the worldwide concern over the public health risk posed by the newly discovered H1N1 influenza strain, commonly referred to as "swine flu." At this point, we are not aware that this flu strain has affected any U.S. transplant candidates or recipients.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) has changed its address and improved its Web site. The new site can now be found at http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov Although the www.optn.org address will include a redirect to the new site, we encourage you to check your links and bookmarks.

At its November meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the following slate of nominees for Board appointments beginning in June 2009. Candidates were recommended by the OPTN/UNOS Nominating Committee. OPTN/UNOS member voting representatives will receive a ballot and biographical information for the nominees in January and the election will be completed in February or March (specific date yet to be determined).

As of Oct. 6, 2008, more than 100,000 people were registered awaiting an organ transplant from a deceased donor at U.S. transplant centers. This is the first time that threshold has been exceeded.

Under direction of the OPTN/UNOS OPO Committee, a new set of labels has been designed for packaging and transporting organs.

The OPTN/UNOS Executive Committee recently approved a resource document [link to document location] to help living donor kidney transplant programs establish or revise medical protocols for evaluating potential living donors. The document is advisory and does not reflect OPTN policy requirements for member transplant centers.

At their meeting in December 2006, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the replacement of PRA with CPRA in determining kidney and pancreas allocation (policies 3.5.11.3, and 3.8.1).

As part of an ongoing effort to identify emerging trends in the field of organ donation and transplantation, more than 50 experts from many areas of the transplant community have prepared the comprehensive 2007 Annual Report of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation (OPTN) and U.S. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR).

Responding to feedback from patients and members, UNOS today launched the Google search engine on its UNOS, OPTN and Transplant Living Web sites. This feature makes it much easier to search for Web content, PDF files and other online file attachments. Patients and members alike will now be able to more easily locate specific transplant information.

Richmond, Va. -- Members of the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) have elected 25 members to its Board of Directors, including a new president, vice president/president elect, vice president for patient and donor affairs, and secretary.

The OPTN and UNOS are saddened by the passing of Flora Solarz, a long-term lung recipient and member of the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors.

At its September meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the following slate of nominees for Board appointments beginning in June 2008. Candidates were recommended by the OPTN/UNOS Nominating Committee. OPTN/UNOS member voting representatives will receive a ballot and biographical information for the nominees in October and the election will be completed in December.

The OPTN, UNOS and Donate Life America mourn the passing of James S. Wolf, M.D. His life was integral with the field of organ transplantation -- as a transplant surgeon, a passionate advocate for organ donation and a transplant recipient. Dr. Wolf served in many capacities with the OPTN and UNOS, including a term as OPTN/UNOS Treasurer in 1987-1988, OPTN/UNOS President in 1990-1991, and UNOS' Director of Medical Affairs from 1994 to 2000. He also was a founder and first president of the Coalition on Donation (now Donate Life America).

The unique aspect of organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) is that a patient is removed from life support at the wishes of the family, and after death occurs the organs are procured. As such, this option for organ donation becomes an integral part of end of life care. The medical community and the public have examined and debated this concept over many years. Testimony of families who have consented to DCD, emphasize that the opportunity to save other lives by their altruistic act has been of comfort to them.

The OPTN/UNOS is saddened by the sudden passing of H. Myron Kauffman, M.D., FACS, our Medical Director and Senior Scientist. Dr. Kauffman was a pioneer in both the practice and science of transplantation, with 45 years of involvement in the field.

DonorNet® 2007 has now been in place nationwide for nearly two months. Several important improvements are being designed and implemented now to enhance its use and provide ways that transplant centers can be more selective in the offers they will receive for their patients. Because DonorNet® 2007 makes it possible to make manifold offers more than ever before, the extraordinary increase in the volume of offers has resulted in unwanted offers for many centers. The changes being designed now will address that situation.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) has concluded that paired exchanges of living donor kidney transplants, and living donor transplants for increased priority in deceased donor allocation, do not count as “valuable consideration” under the terms of the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, as amended (NOTA). This opinion was expressed in a memorandum to the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dated March 28.

On March 30, 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a final rule regarding transplant program certification under the Medicare Conditions of Participation. The regulation is effective June 28, 2007.

News reports have disclosed ongoing state and local investigations of two San Francisco-area surgeons and staff at a hospital in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The investigations concern an alleged attempt to hasten cardiac death of a potential organ donor. The reports state that the potential donor did not expire in the operating room, and that he was returned to the ICU where he died several hours later.

The unique aspect of organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) is that a patient is removed from life support at the wishes of the family, and after death occurs the organs are procured. As such, this option for organ donation becomes an integral part of end of life care. The medical community and the public have examined and debated this concept over many years. Testimony of families who have consented to DCD, emphasize that the opportunity to save other lives by their altruistic act has been of comfort to them.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) now provides toll-free reporting lines for both members and patients.

Dallas, February 9, 2007 -- The OPTN/UNOS Kidney Transplantation Committee is considering a number of ways to modify kidney allocation to best match available kidneys to tens of thousands of candidates in need.

As of February 7, 2007 transplant professionals now have 40% fewer required elements to complete on OPTN/UNOS data forms. This significant data reduction process will help streamline the OPTN data collection process, reduce the data collection burden on the transplant centers and ultimately allow staff to devote more time to patient care.

Registration information is available for the February 8, 2007 OPTN/UNOS Public Forum on Revision of Kidney Allocation Policy.

More lives were saved by organ transplantation in the month of May than in any month ever before! According to data from the nation’s Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), operated by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there were 725 deceased organ donors in the United States in May, 2006.

The June 16, 2006, issue of the Federal Register contains a response by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to public comments regarding the enforceability of OPTN policies regarding living donor transplantation, including equitable allocation of living donor organs.

Richmond, Va. -- Members of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) have elected 25 members to its Board of Directors including a new president, vice president/president elect, vice president of patient and donor affairs and secretary. The UNOS Board also serves as the Board of Directors for the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. These positions will be effective at the conclusion of the Board meeting on June 30, 2006.

HRSA has published a notice in the Federal Register to solicit comments on OPTN oversight of living donor guidelines. The notice soliciting comments on the living donor guidelines was published in the Federal Register today, January 23 (Volume 71, Number 14, Page 3519-3520). Written comments must be submitted to Dr. Burdick by mail or e-mail on or before February 22, 2006.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), as operator of the federally contracted Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), is aware of the voluntary inactivation of the liver transplant program at St. Vincent Medical Center. The center took this action, following an internal investigation prompted by a routine audit conducted by UNOS, which revealed possible violations of OPTN policies. St. Vincent Medical Center has worked cooperatively with UNOS since learning the results of the initial review.

The new lung allocation system helps determine the order that lung offers are made to lung transplant candidates by assigning each candidate a lung allocation score (LAS). The LAS, which is based on each candidate's particular medical information, is an important factor in determining priority for receiving a lung transplant when a donor lung becomes available.

A recently concluded independent audit reported that the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) continues to qualify for ISO 9001:2000 certification. UNOS operates the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

Join fellow organ donation and transplant professionals at the First Annual Organ Donation National Learning Congress May 18-19, 2005 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Celebrate the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative’s success and learn more about the new Organ Transplantation Breakthrough Collaborative.

The second OPTN/UNOS OPO Technology Consensus Conference met in San Antonio, Texas on March 1-2, 2005. The objectives of the conference were to develop consensus on a data model for communicating donor information; discuss data privacy and security issues; exchange information for obtaining Internet access in donor hospitals; and to discuss the development of standards for data, technologies, security and processes. The two-day conference was attended by 81 individuals, representing 41 organ procurement organizations (OPOs), 4 transplant centers, and various other agencies and organizations.

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing, through its Kidney Allocation Review Subcommittee (KARS), is conducting a comprehensive review of the national system for allocating kidneys from deceased donors. As part of this review, the Subcommittee will be holding a public hearing to address issues in kidney allocation from the perspective of kidney transplant candidates and recipients. This hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2005. We would very much welcome attendance at the session by those interested.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) develops Conditions of Participation (CoPs) and Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) that health care organizations must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. These standards are used to improve quality and protect the health and safety of beneficiaries. CMS also ensures that the standards of accrediting organizations recognized by CMS meet or exceed Medicare standards.

The recent publicity generated by the live donor transplant arranged through a commercial website has called to question the appropriateness of public solicitation for live donor organs for transplantation. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which operates the National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), has formed an ad hoc committee to further study the issues involved in public solicitation for donated organs. That committee will make recommendations to the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors. It is important to re-examine what types of living donor/candidate relationships are acceptable in our changing society. In asking that committee to consider issues relating to live donor transplantation, the OPTN/UNOS Executive Committee recommends the committee to take the following considerations with respect to Internet solicitations into account.

At its November board meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the following slate of nominees for appointments beginning in 2005. Candidates were recommended by the OPTN/UNOS Nominating Committee. OPTN/UNOS member voting representatives will receive a ballot and biographical information for the nominees in February and the election will be completed in March.

For the second time in four months, the Organ Center set an all-time monthly record for organ placement services in August. The Organ Center provided placement services for 665 organs, eclipsing the former record of 610 in May 2004. This level of activity translates into an average of 21 organs every day. Through the end of August, organ placement activity is 18 percent greater for this calendar year compared to last year.

As part of its 2001 Public Policy Initiative, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) recently published the attached white paper, "Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Narrowing the Organ Donation Gap and Protecting Patients."

The Organ Center provided placement services for 610 organs in May 2004, setting an all-time activity record over its nearly 22-year history. In addition, the week of May 2-8 was the busiest single week ever in terms of placement activity, with services provided for 165 organs.

The Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative, initiated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase donor consent rates, will soon complete a phase of sharing and testing cooperative approaches between OPOs and large-capacity donor hospitals.

At its November board meeting, the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors approved the following slate of nominees for appointments beginning in 2004. OPTN/UNOS member voting representatives will receive a ballot and biographical information for the nominees in February and the election will be completed in March.

During its first full month of operation, a web-based application designed to improve patient safety and increase the efficiency and accuracy of the organ placement process has enabled transplant professionals to electronically access more than 500 medical files about organ donors.

Thirty-five years ago today, surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant on a human being at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

On behalf of the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors, I wish to thank the entire transplant community and commend the efforts of U.S. transplant centers, organ procurement organizations and histocompatibility laboratories, as well as the UNOS Organ Center, for continuing to provide transplant services throughout the series of events that began Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Delivering on a promise he made on his first day on the job, Secretary Thompson announced his 'Gift of Life Donation Initiative' on April 17, 2001. "Fifteen Americans die each day while waiting for an organ to become available...

UNOS has pioneered a new Internet-based technology to speed the communication of vital, time-sensitive Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) data.