Learn more about: Board of Directors Committees Transplant policies & bylaws
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is a unique public-private partnership that links all professionals involved in the U.S. donation and transplantation system. Also crucial to the system are individuals who sign organ donor cards, people who comment on policy proposals, and countless volunteers who support donation and transplantation, among many others.
A driving force of the OPTN is to improve the U.S. system so that more life-saving organs are available for transplant. Patient safety is at the forefront of activities at transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations (OPOs), and labs.
The OPTN acts through its Board of Directors and committees, who bring a wealth of commitment and technical knowledge to guide us. Committees address issues of concern in the transplant community. The board establishes and maintains transplant policies (operational rules), bylaws (governance structure and roles), and management and membership policies (membership requirements) that govern the OPTN.
Vision & goals
The OPTN promotes long, healthy, and productive lives for persons with organ failure by promoting maximized organ supply, effective and safe care, and equitable organ allocation and access to transplantation; and doing so by balancing competing goals in ways that are transparent, inclusive, and enhance public trust in the national organ donation system.
With all our collective efforts focused on patients, the goals of the OPTN are to:
- Increase opportunities for transplants
- Optimize organ use
- Enhance OPTN efficiency
- Support OPTN modernization initiatives
History
To address the nation's critical organ donation shortage and improve the organ matching and placement process, the U.S. Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA; P.L. 98-507) in 1984. The act established the OPTN to maintain a national registry for organ matching. The act also calls for the network to be operated by a private organization under federal contract.
Following further study and recommendations from a task force commissioned through NOTA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) solicited proposals in 1986 for the operation of the OPTN.
In 2000, HHS implemented a final rule establishing a regulatory framework for the structure and operations of the OPTN.
Final rule
Effective March 16, 2000, HHS implemented a final rule establishing a regulatory framework for the structure and operations of the OPTN.
OPTN charter
This charter governs the structure and operation of the OPTN.
- Read the OPTN charter (PDF - 134 KB) (updated 6/27/2022)
The OPTN is authorized by the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 273 et seq. The OPTN is a private, nonprofit entity that has an expertise in organ procurement and transplantation. The OPTN Contractor serves as the OPTN by contract with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The purpose of the OPTN is to carry out the statutory functions listed in NOTA at 42 U.S.C. §274(b)(2)(A)-(O)).
The OPTN shall be governed by a Board of Directors. In accordance with the OPTN Final Rule at §121.3(a), the Board of Directors shall include:
(a) Approximately 50% transplant surgeons or transplant physicians;
(b) At least 25% transplant candidates, transplant recipients, organ donors, and family members representing the diversity of the population of transplant candidates, transplant recipients, organ donors, and family members served by the OPTN, including, to the extent practicable, the minority and gender diversity of this population. These members shall not be employees of, or have a similar relationship with Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs), transplant hospitals, voluntary health organizations, transplant coordinators, histocompatibility experts, or other non-physician transplant professionals. The Board of Directors may, however, waive this requirement for not more than 50% of this category of members;
(c) Representatives of OPOs, Transplant Hospitals, voluntary health associations, transplant coordinators, histocompatibility experts, non-physician transplant professionals, and the general public, as well as at least one member representing pediatric-specific interests; and
(d) The Contracting Officer’s Representative for the OPTN Contract and the Director of the Division of Transplantation, within the Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS, or their designees, as ex-officio, non-voting members.
The Board of Directors shall perform the duties detailed in, and in accordance with, NOTA and the OPTN Final Rule, including:
- Electing an Executive Committee from the membership of the Board;
- Appointing an Executive Director of the OPTN
- Establishing such other committees as are necessary to perform the duties of the OPTN.
There shall be three categories of members of the OPTN. These are: 1) transplant hospitals participating in the Medicare or Medicaid programs; 2) all organ procurement organizations (OPO), and 3) other organizations, institutions, and individuals that have an interest in the fields of organ donation or transplantation, including transplant hospitals that do not participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs, medical/scientific members, public organization members, business members, and Individual Members. The OPTN Management and Membership Policies (PDF - 2 MB) shall specify the requirements for applying to be an OPTN member and the responsibilities of an OPTN member.
Volunteer with the OPTN
Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the transplant waiting list. As a member of the donation and transplant community, you have an impact on the lives of these people every day.
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