How are recipients matched to donor organs and tissues?
Persons waiting for transplants are listed by the transplant center where they plan to have surgery on a national computerized waiting list of potential transplant patients in the United States. Under contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), located in Richmond, Virginia, maintains a 24-hour telephone service to aid in matching donor organs or tissue with patients on the national waiting list and to coordinate efforts with transplant centers. When donor organs or tissue become available, the OPO that recovered the organs or tissue provides UNOS with information about the medical characteristics of the donor and specific organs or tissue, including medical compatibility between the donor and potential recipient(s) on such characteristics as blood type, weight, and age; as well as the recipient’s urgency of need and length of time on the waiting list. Also, preference is generally given to recipients from the same geogra
