Transplant system ready for the millennium

The computer network that matches donated organs with patients across the country will not be affected by the year-2000 computer bug, says the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in Richmond, VA.

The UNOS computer system contains a database of all patients waiting for an organ transplant in the United States. As donated organs become available, they are matched with patients on a list generated by the database, and dates play an important role in how the system operates.

"Patients waiting for a transplant do not have to worry when the year 2000 arrives," says Walter K. Graham, UNOS executive director.