Organ Donation Legislation and Policy

The field of organ donation and transplantation is well regulated. Both state and federal laws and regulations provide a safe and fair system for allocation, distribution, and transplantation of donated organs.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the federal agency that oversees the organ transplant system in the United States. These other agencies also play a part in the system:

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Policies and Reports

The U.S. Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) in 1984. Congress passed (NOTA) to address the organ donation shortage and improve the organ matching process. The act established the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to maintain a national system to match organs and individuals.

The act also called for the network to be operated by a private nonprofit under federal contract. The United Network for Organ Sharing currently operates the OPTN for HRSA.