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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2002;288:2953.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

There are ongoing racial disparities in kidney transplantation in the United States. While many explanations are offered, at least one medical reason is being eliminated, which should narrow that disparity.

On November 14, the OPTN/UNOS (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing) Board of Directors revised the allocation priority for tissue matching. The change means that about 250 kidney transplants that went to white patients will now be given to minority patients. Under federal law, all US transplant centers and organ procurement organizations must be members of the OPTN to receive Medicare funding. UNOS administers the OPTN under contract with the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

"We feel that issues of justice, fairness and equity are clearly addressed by this proposal," said Winfred Williams, MD, chairman of the OPTN/UNOS Minority Affairs Committee. "We hope that our emphasis on ensuring equity will boost the public's confidence . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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