Donated organs may no longer be given to patients who are not on a computer list of matches, the nation’s transplant network said Friday, ending a long-standing informal practice after the death of a 17-year-old girl who received organs with the wrong blood type.
The change came after an investigation into the case of Jesica Santillan, who died in February after a botched heart-lung transplant.
The United Network for Organ Sharing concluded that none of the organizations involved in her transplant violated its policies, which require the confirmation of blood types before transplants occur but do not specify who is responsible for checking.
The network agreed Friday to a set of tougher, more detailed policies that would make clear who is responsible for double-checking that blood types match. In 2002, 256 transplants were performed for patients not on the donor recipient lists.
