National Organ Transplant Act of 1984
| Long title | An Act To provide for the establishment of the Task Force on Organ Transplantation and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, to authorize financial assistance for organ procurement organizations and other purposes. |
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| Acronyms (colloquial) | NOTA |
| Enacted by | the 98th United States Congress |
| Effective | October 19, 1984 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | Pub. L. 98–507 |
| Statutes at Large | 98 Stat. 2339 |
| Codification | |
| Titles amended | 42 |
| U.S.C. sections created | 42 USC § 273, 42 USC § 274 |
| Legislative history | |
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The National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1984 is an Act of the United States Congress that created the framework for the organ transplant system in the country. The act provided clarity on the property rights of human organs obtained from deceased individuals and established a public-private partnership known as Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). The OPTN was given the authority to oversee the national distribution of organs.
Since the initial network contract was established in 1986, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has acted as the OPTN under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NOTA and subsequent regulations mandate that the OPTN prioritize fair patient access to transplantation while relying on objective medical evidence and adapting to advancements in clinical practices and scientific knowledge.