The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted organ transplants in unprecedented ways. In a study published in the May 2023 special issue of Production and Operations Management on managing pandemics, two operations management researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas analyzed the impact of pausing transplants on patient outcomes. Their findings could help decision-makers determine whether and how to pause organ transplants during a pandemic. “We found that while pausing organ transplants reduced the risk of infections and saved scarce health care resources for COVID-19 patients, patients on the waiting list became sicker while waiting for organ transplants,” Wang said. “Otherwise, they may continue organ transplants.