How are recipients matched to donor organs?
. Persons waiting for transplants are listed at their local transplant center, and also on a national computerized waiting list. When organs become available, several factors are taken into consideration. These factors include blood and tissue type of the donor and recipient, and other recipient information such as weight, medical condition, time spent on the waiting list, and urgency of need. Geographic location is also a factor, as timing is critical and transportation times must be kept to a minimum. UNOS, the United Network of Organ Sharing, maintains the national computerized waiting list and is dedicated to providing fair and equitable placement of donated organs.
Persons waiting for transplants are listed by the transplant center where they plan to have surgery on a national computerized waiting list of potential transplants 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 with patients on the national waiting list and to coordinate efforts with transplant centers. When donor organs become available, the OPO that recovered the organs provides UNOS with information about the medical characteristics of the donor and specific organs, including medical compatibility between the donor and potential recipient(s) on such characteristics as blood type, weight, and age; as well as the recipients’ urgency of need; and length of time on waiting list. Also, preference is generally given to recipients from the same geographic area as the donor, because timing is a
