Researchers Proposed New Heart Transplant Scoring System
A new risk-based model could improve how transplant organs are prioritized for patients on the waiting list.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Heart Disease
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Should transplant systems prioritize patients using objective medical data rather than current treatment-based status?
Researchers have proposed a new heart transplant allocation policy using an objective risk score to reduce mortality among waitlisted patients. Currently, one in five people on the U.S. heart transplant waiting list dies or is removed from the list before receiving an organ.
Why it matters
The current treatment-based system allows for subjective priority status, which this proposal aims to eliminate by using standardized clinical measurements. This shift toward objective data could standardize patient access and reduce the ability of physicians to manipulate rankings.
A study published in JAMA analyzed more than 45,000 heart transplant match runs to evaluate the proposed U.S. Candidate Risk Score. This score uses clinical laboratory measurements of heart, liver, and kidney function to predict mortality risk over a six-week period.
The players
JAMA
A peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes original research, clinical guidelines, and updates in medicine.
University of Chicago Medical Center
A major academic medical institution that led the research into developing the new transplant risk-scoring model.
The details
The proposed U.S. Candidate Risk Score replaces a treatment-dependent model with an algorithm that ranks candidates based on objective clinical data. This system integrates essential laboratory markers of organ failure and accounts for the geographic distance between donor hearts and recipients. By prioritizing patients based on calculated risk rather than status-altering clinical interventions, the model seeks to minimize bias in the organ allocation process.
Timeline
The US-CRS was initially described in 2024.
The JAMA study detailing the proposed policy was published on October 12, 2026.
Health Landscape
The proposed policy updates the existing U.S. heart transplant allocation framework by replacing the current six-status treatment model with an objective risk-scoring algorithm. This shift reflects a broader trend in medical science toward using data-driven, laboratory-based metrics to manage organ scarcity.
If you or a family member are on a transplant waiting list, these changes represent a future shift in how organ priority is determined. These developments are worth discussing with a transplant coordinator or physician to understand how objective scoring might eventually affect individual care pathways.
The takeaway
The move toward an objective risk score represents a significant effort to prioritize transplant access based on clinical need rather than treatment status. Patients and families concerned about transplant priority should follow ongoing updates from national health authorities regarding these policy revisions.
What happens next
The U.S. Candidate Risk Score is expected to undergo administrative hurdles, testing, and revision over the next few years before potential adoption.
Further reading
For more information on current treatment protocols, visit our Heart Disease section.
More information
View the JAMA medical journal study abstract for a detailed breakdown of the proposed risk score.
Live Poll
Should transplant systems prioritize patients using objective medical data rather than current treatment-based status?
