NEW YORK, N.Y. | June 2026
NYU Langone Health has successfully performed the world’s first HIV-positive-to-HIV-positive lung transplant, marking a historic advancement in transplant medicine and expanding potential treatment options for people living with HIV who require life-saving organ transplantation. The groundbreaking procedure was carried out under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-sanctioned research protocol authorized through the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, allowing organs from HIV-positive donors to be transplanted into HIV-positive recipients in approved research settings. The milestone demonstrates how advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) and clinical research are helping remove longstanding barriers in organ transplantation while creating greater equity for patients with HIV. Experts believe the achievement could significantly increase the available donor pool for HIV-positive transplant candidates and improve access to life-saving organs.
Historic Dual Organ Transplant Expands Donor Opportunities
The recipient, 56-year-old Bertrand Nelson, had been living with HIV for nearly 26 years and suffered from sarcoidosis, which severely damaged both his lungs and liver after complications from Legionnaires’ disease. Following years of progressive respiratory decline and increasing dependence on supplemental oxygen, Nelson underwent the historic HIV-to-HIV lung transplant on March 21, 2026, performed by Dr. Stephanie H. Chang, alongside a liver transplant completed the same day by Dr. Karim J. Halazun at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. The complex dual-organ procedure represents the first successful application of the HOPE research protocol for lung transplantation, as previous HIV-positive donor transplants had primarily involved abdominal organs and hearts. The achievement demonstrates that carefully selected HIV-positive donor lungs can potentially be used safely in appropriately matched recipients under regulated clinical research protocols.
Research Highlights Progress in HIV Transplant Medicine
The landmark surgery was made possible through a specialized research protocol developed by Dr. Sapna Mehta, Clinical Director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, and Dr. Mark A. Sonnick, transplant pulmonologist. According to the investigators, the procedure represents a major step toward improving equity in organ transplantation by expanding access for patients who previously faced limited donor availability. Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and modern antiretroviral therapies now enable many individuals to achieve near-normal life expectancy while preventing viral transmission. As a result, increasing numbers of HIV-positive patients may become eligible for advanced procedures such as organ transplantation, making expanded donor eligibility increasingly important. Researchers believe continued clinical evidence generated under the HOPE Act could help shape future transplantation policies and broaden access beyond current research settings.
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Patient Recovery Demonstrates Clinical Potential
Following the successful transplant procedures, Bertrand Nelson has experienced a remarkable recovery, no longer requiring supplemental oxygen for the first time in four years and gradually rebuilding his strength after years of limited mobility. His recovery illustrates the life-changing potential of expanding organ donation opportunities for people living with HIV while reinforcing the importance of continued innovation in transplant medicine. NYU Langone Health, one of the few U.S. transplant centers authorized to perform HOPE lung transplants, continues to advance research aimed at improving outcomes for patients with complex medical conditions. The institution believes this historic milestone could pave the way for broader acceptance of HIV-positive donor lung transplantation, ultimately increasing organ availability and offering renewed hope to thousands of patients awaiting life-saving transplants worldwide.
Source: NYU Langone Health press release
