McLean, VA. (January 11, 2022) – The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), the leader of the organ procurement community, applauds the initial success of the recent surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where a genetically modified pig’s heart was transplanted into a human. With more than 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list, this kind of innovation could lead to more lives saved. Organ procurement organizations (OPOs), which facilitate the organ donation process between donors and recipients, have been incorporating new innovations into their operations with noted results. “Research that demonstrates initial success brings hope that we can save more lives,” says Jan Finn, RN, MSN, AOPO President, and President/Chief Executive Officer at Midwest Transplant Network. “This kind of advancement is in the spirit of our 50,000 Organ Transplants by 2026 Campaign, where we too are developing and implementing new ideas to increase donation and transplantation.”