The liver allocation policy makes matches by comparing medical and logistical characteristics about deceased donors and transplant candidates. In general, the first matches will be made for the most urgent candidates listed at transplant programs within a certain distance from the donor hospital. The specific sequence used will vary according to certain facts about the donor, such as the donor’s age and mechanism of death.

View examples that illustrate the allocation sequence based on different donor characteristics.

• Liver variance list (PDF; 3/2020)
• Questions and answers for patients about liver allocation

• NLRB and liver distribution-related policy notices

• New policy establishes expedited placement of livers (3/25/2021)
• New national liver and intestinal organ transplant system in effect (2/4/2020)
• Updated liver and intestinal organ allocation policy implemented Feb. 4, 2020 (1/18/2020) 
• Assessing liver transplant candidates' level of illness (8/21/2019)
• Liver allocation policy reverted to DSA and regions (5/23/2019)
• Work in progress to revert to DSA-based system due to court order (5/20/2019)
• New national liver transplant system takes effect (5/14/2019)
• Liver distribution policy, national liver review board, deferred until May 14 (4/23/2019)
• Board approves updated liver distribution system (12/2018)

Monitoring reports

• Two-month monitoring report available for acuity circles liver distribution (5/26/2020)

Current score

• Median MELD at Transplant Around Liver Donor Hospitals and Median PELD at Transplant Within the Nation (PDF: 06/2022)

Previous scores

• Median MELD at Transplant by 250 Nautical Mile Circles Around Liver Transplant Programs and Median PELD at Transplant Within the Nation (PDF; 03/2022)
• MTS comparison (03/2022)
• Updated monitoring report available for liver, intestine policy (PDF; 9/2021)
• Median MELD at Transplant by 250 Nautical Mile Circles Around Liver Transplant Programs and Median PELD at Transplant Within the Nation (PDF; 10/2021)
• MTS comparison (10/2021)
• Median MELD at Transplant by 250 Nautical Mile Circles Around Liver Transplant Programs and Median PELD at Transplant Within the Nation (PDF; 03/2021)
• Median MELD at Transplant by 250 Nautical Mile Circles Around Liver Transplant Programs and Median PELD at Transplant Within the Nation (PDF; 9/2020)
• Median MELD at Transplant by circles reference effective March 25, 2020 (PDF; 3/9/2020)

• Frequently Asked Questions: Calculate Median MELD at Transplant (MMaT) around the Donor Hospital and Update Sorting within Liver Allocation (PDF; 06/2022)
• NLRB educational webinar (2/2020)
• NLRB update (10/2019)
• NLRB webinar presentation (PDF; 10/2019)
• NLRB for members (4/2019)
• NLRB for review board members (4/2019)

• NLRB and liver distribution-related policy notices

• Report lists median MELD at transplant score for each donor hospital (6/23/2022)
• Educational webinar addresses NLRB process (10/1/2019)
• National liver review board is implemented (5/14/2019)

Monitoring reports

• Updated 18-month monitoring report available for National Liver Review Board (3/16/2022) New
• Six-month monitoring report now available for expedited liver policy (1/20/2022)
• Updated monitoring report now available for liver, intestine policy (12/14/2021)
• Updated monitoring report available for liver, intestine policy (9/15/2021)
• Updated 12-month monitoring report available for National Liver Review Board (5/12/2021)
• Updated 9-month monitoring report available for liver policy (1/15/2020)