Task force aims to reduce discarded organs, boost transplants

Editor's Note

The Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) is launching a national effort to reduce discard rates of donated organs, according to an October 23 announcement from the University of Michigan.

OPTN oversees organ distribution for transplant procedures in the US. According to the report, the organization aims to increase annual transplant procedures from 28,000 to 60,000 by 2026. The University of Michigan Health Transplant Center will be among the institutions will be among the institutions providing feedback for OPTN's new initiative, the Expeditious Task Force, which seeks to understand and address institutional barriers to organ utilization by focusing on the reasons why various hospitals discard organs.

With insights from centers nationwide, OPTN aims to create strategies that empower hospitals to boost transplant procedures, ultimately reducing the number of discarded organs and addressing the needs of those waiting for life-saving transplants.