Histocompatibility Committee

The Histocompatibility Committee applies evolving science and technology in transplant immunology to develop, implement, and inform OPTN bylaws, policies, and clinical guidance for organ donation and transplantation. The Committee provides subject matter expertise to the OPTN for issues related to testing, matching, allocation, personnel qualifications, and other issues in transplant histocompatibility and immunology. The Committee’s goals are to promote patient safety, to strive to continuously improve clinical outcomes, and maximize the use of donated organs.

Current projects

Review

• Require Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Confirmatory Typing for Deceased Donors

Board approved and pending implementation

• Update Histocompatibility Bylaws
• Update Post-Transplant Histocompatibility Data Collection

Implemented

• Histocompatibility HLA Table Update 2025
• Require Reporting of HLA Critical Discrepancies and Crossmatching Events to the OPTN
• Remove CPRA 99-100% Form for Highly Sensitized Kidney Candidates
• Update HLA Equivalency Tables, 2023
• Change Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody (CPRA) Calculation
• Update Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Equivalency Tables
• Require Notification of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Typing Changes (9/2021)
• HLA Equivalency Tables Update 2020 (12/2019)
• Modify appointment process for histocompatibility committee vice chair (11/2019)
• Addressing HLA Typing Errors (2/2020)
• Review of HLA tables (7/2017)
• Histocompatibility labs policy and bylaws guidance 201701 (1/2017)
• Proposed Changes to the OPTN Bylaws Governing Histocompatibility Laboratories (Phase II) (9/2014)

Committee members