United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-09-28 monographic deposited born digital 44 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-498 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498 P0b002ee1803775cd f:d01498 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498 GAO-01-498 Adults Children Diseases Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Other Written Product A02049

Pediatric patients in need of an organ transplant face a shortage of donated organs. The number of pediatric organ donors has remained relatively constant from 1991 to 2000, despite a drop in potential donors. The number of adult donors rose 45 percent during the same period, in large part because donor eligibility criteria have been expanded to include older donors and donors with diseases that have been prohibited in the past. Waiting lists for organs for pediatric patients have more than doubled. Compared to adults, however, children account for a small number of transplant candidates. The degree to which pediatric organs are transplanted into adults varies by organ. Pediatric patients appear to be faring as well as or better than adult patients, both while on the waiting list and after transplantation. Allocation policies for kidneys, livers, and hearts provide several protections for children awaiting transplants. The priority a child receives takes into account differences between children and adults in the progression and treatment of end stage organ disease, with the policies differing for each organ. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498.pdf GAO-01-498 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-498 Other Written Product GAO-01-498; Organ Transplants: Allocation Policies Include Special Protections for Children; Adults Children Diseases Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Title 42 Section 1396 42 U.S.C. 1396 Public Law 98-507 Public Law 103-66 Public Law 106-113 Public Law 106-310 Public Law 106-554