In 1984, Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act that mandated the establishment of the OPTN and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. The purpose of the OPTN is to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s organ procurement, donation and transplantation system by increasing the availability of and access to donor organs for patients with end-stage organ failure. The Act stipulated that the network be a nonprofit, private sector entity whose members are all U.S. transplant centers, organ procurement organizations and histocompatibility laboratories. The OPTN is administered by UNOS under contract to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Organdonor.gov April 2020)
In 1987, Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act that mandated the establishment of the OPTN and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. The purpose of the OPTN is to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s organ procurement, donation and transplantation system by increasing the availability of and access to donor organs for patients with end-stage organ failure. The Act stipulated that the Network be a non-profit, private sector entity comprised of all U.S. transplant centers, organ procurement organizations and histocompatibility laboratories. These members along with professional and voluntary healthcare organizations and the representatives of the general public are governed by a Board of Directors which reports to the Division of Transplantation, HRSA and ultimately HHS. UNOS holds the OPTN contract. (OPTN Glossary May 2021)
The National Organ Transplant Act mandated the establishment of the OPTN, a non-profit, private sector entity comprised of all U.S. transplant centers, organ procurement organizations, and histocompatibility laboratories. The purpose of the OPTN is to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s organ procurement, donation and transplantation system by increasing the availability of and access to donor organs for patients with end-stage-organ failure. (Alliance Terminology & Data Resources May 2021)
The network established according to Section 372 of the Social Security Act.
The corporation currently operating the OPTN under contract with HHS. In 1984 the National Organ Transplantation Act (NOTA) directed the Secretary of HHS to establish by contract an Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) which shall be a private, non-profit entity that has an expertise in organ procurement and transplantation. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the current OPTN. (OPTN Policy Definitions May 2021)
In 1987, Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act. The OPTN is the network established as a result of section 372 of that act. The purpose of the OPTN is to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s organ procurement, donation and transplantation system by increasing the availability of and access to donor organs for patients with end-stage organ failure. The Act stipulated that the Network be a non- profit, private sector entity comprised of all U.S. transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations and histocompatibility laboratories. These members, along with professional and voluntary healthcare organizations and the representatives of the general public, are governed by a Board of Directors which reports to the Division of Transplantation, HRSA and the HHS. (OPTN Bylaws Definitions, December 2020)