The history of the AST started in 1981 when its charter members met and decided a separate society should be organized for transplant physicians. The American Society of Transplant Physicians (ASTP) was founded on May 10, 1982, and open to all physicians and health professionals interested in transplant medicine and biology. In 1998, the ASTP name was changed to the American Society of Transplantation (AST). Today, we are a growing and diverse organization of more than 5,000 members representing all organ transplantation and donation areas. In 2018, the Society grew, incorporating patient voice into its efforts through the evolution of its public-facing Power2Save program. As we look to the future, our vision is bold and aspirational. While our five pillars remain the same, we must plan a deliberate roadmap for the future.
These strategic aims outline our current priorities and focus areas.
We will advance and promote continuous support for innovation in treatment of patients with advanced organ dysfunction/end-stage organ failure and care of living donors.
We will maximize engagement from the majority of our members to ensure they are actively participating in, contributing to, and finding value in AST programs and initiatives.
We will ensure that the AST is regarded as a leading voice on organ transplantation-related topics for the benefit of patients worldwide.
We will enable the development of an increasing number of diverse, qualified transplant professionals and scientists that are advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient outcomes as demand increases.
We will ensure a robust infrastructure for the AST so that we have the resources to appropriately support and enable our future efforts and programs.