Iowa Donor Network Joins AlloSouce as Fifth Corporate Member Agency

CENTENNIAL, CO (August 9, 2007) – Centennial-based AlloSource, the second largest non-profit tissue bank and the largest supplier of fresh cartilage allografts and skin used for life-saving burn applications in the nation, today announced that North Liberty-based Iowa Donor Network has become a corporate member of AlloSource. Iowa Donor Network joins Donor Alliance of Colorado, Gift of Hope of Illinois, Mid-America Transplant Services of Missouri and Upstate New York Transplant Services of New York as part of the AlloSource network.

 

“We are pleased to have Iowa Donor Network become our fifth corporate member agency, “said Mark Simon, chairman of the board of AlloSource. “The expanded partnership will bring increased access to needed allografts for the people of Iowa, providing life-changing possibilities for the community.”

 

The AlloSource tissue network was created by nationally recognized organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to ensure that tissue processing and distribution supported the needs of patients and donor families in their donation community. This unique business model allows AlloSource to acquire quality, safe donors and return over 40% of allograft fees it receives to its recovery agency partners. These funds support organ and tissue donation programs in the local communities in which AlloSource operates. AlloSource’s board of directors consists of the members and appointees of the member OPOs, allowing them to direct the activities of AlloSource to support their communities.

 

Approximately 1,500,000 allografts are transplanted nationally each year for a variety of life-saving and life-enhancing surgeries. Patients in Iowa will now have increased access to skin allografts, used to treat critical burns, fresh cartilage allografts for joint restoration along with AlloSource’s complete offering of safe and effective and allograft products to rebuild and preserve lives.

 

“AlloSource is a like-minded non-profit organization committed to ethical practices and improving patient outcomes, “said Suzanne Conrad, chief executive officer, Iowa Donor Network. “Our local community will benefit from this expanded partnership.”

 

Allografts include bone, soft tissue and skin recovered from deceased donors for use in a variety of surgical procedures.  Each year allografts improve the ability to function and quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people who suffer from trauma or disease.  Allografts offer several benefits over autografts (grafts from the patient’s own body), including expanded grafting possibilities, significantly decreased patient pain and reduced length of hospital stay.

 

Founded in 1994, Centennial, Colorado based AlloSource continues to increase the availability of high quality, safe allografts.  Showing respectful appreciation for the gift of donation, AlloSource saves and improves lives by maintaining the highest standards in recovery, processing and storage of human tissue and cells, while striving to develop new therapeutic technologies.  AlloSource provides service to the country’s most reputable non-profit organ procurement organizations that have direct input and oversight into the company’s business operations. AlloSource is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks.  It operates three facilities in Centennial, Salt Lake City and Cincinnati and employs over 240 people. For more information, visit www.allosource.org

About Iowa Donor Network
Iowa Donor Network is a non-profit organization that operates as the primary contact for organ, tissue and eye donation services for the state of Iowa. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has certified Iowa Donor Network to function as the single organ procurement agency serving the state of Iowa.  Iowa Donor Network also serves as the tissue recovery agency for the state. Iowans can consent to organ, tissue and eye donation prior to death by joining the Iowa Donor Registry www.IowaDonorRegistry.org