New England Organ Bank, Inc.

The New England Organ Bank (NEOB) is the oldest independent organ procurement organization (OPO) in the country. It is the federally-designated OPO for all or part of the six New England states. In addition to this regional coverage, NEOB provides services to Bermuda. We are organized under a Board of Trustees and a Clincal Policy Board. Our latest annual report may be reviewed here (as a .pdf).





We are an accredited member of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). AOPO has developed organizational and ethical standards for OPOs, offering a voluntary accreditation program to its members. This peer review process helps assure compliance with federal regulations as well as AOPO standards. The period of accreditation is three years, after which the OPO must meet reaccreditation conditions to maintain its status.





Through its nine regional offices, NEOB serves twelve transplant centers with the combined capacity to perform all types of organ transplantation. NEOB allocates organs for transplant regionally and nationally through the United Network for Organ Sharing's (UNOS) national network.





NEOB is also accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). This ensures that our tissue banking activities are performed in a professional manner consistent with national standards and federal regulations. Unlike organ donation, patients do not need to be maintained on a ventilator in order for donation to occur. The tissues that can be recovered after death are bone, tendons, heart valves, skin, corneas and blood vessels.



Major activities in support of NEOB's mission include:









Providing Clinical Support



NEOB coordinators are available 24 hours a day to evaluate and respond to potential organ and tissue donors. They evaluate the potential donor's medical condition, maintain clinical support throughout the organ recovery process, and manage the complex logistics of the recovery, preservation and distribution process.







Providing Support and Information to Donor Families



NEOB coordinators provide support and information to help families discuss donation. If a patient already authorized donation, the coordinators work with the family to carry-out the patient's decision. If the patient had not made a donation decision, the coordinators work with family to obtain authorization for donation.







Providing Education to Hospitals, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors



NEOB staff work with the approximately 160 acute care hospitals to maximize donation. NEOB collaborates with hospital staff to clarify organ and tissue donation policies and to ensure that potential donors are consistently recognized and referred. Federal regulations require that hospitals report all deaths to the affiliated OPO, that only trained requesters talk to families of potential donors, and that hospitals make death record information available to the OPO. NEOB staff collaborate with the hospitals in compliance with these regulations. Click Here for more information.







Providing Public Education



NEOB provides research-based public awareness programs including print, billboard and DMV-based outreach, as well as presentation to churches, schools and civic groups. Volunteers are always welcome.