ABSTRACT
In Western Europe more than 40,000 patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant. A variety of nationally or internationally based transplant organizations are responsible for organ allocation and distribution and several countries have launched national research programs to look into ways to help organ supply meet demand. Yet there is little coordination between the different national programs in Europe. One of the main barriers to joint activity is the variation in organizational structures. Some countries have a national transplantation agency, under control of the Ministry of Health, while others have implemented independent foundations.
