Organ Donation News and Research

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ATS releases statement on ethical, health policy considerations surrounding DCDD process

The American Thoracic Society has released an official statement on the ethical and health policy considerations surrounding adult and pediatric controlled organ donation after circulatory determination of death, the recovery of organs after cessation of circulation from patients with severe neurological, neuromuscular or pulmonary disease for whom decisions are made to forego additional life-prolonging treatments.

1 Jul 2013

Research shows how framing healthcare incentives makes big difference

To keep costs low, companies often incentivize healthy lifestyles. Now, new research suggests that how these incentives are framed - as benefits for healthy-weight people or penalties for overweight people - makes a big difference.

27 Jun 2013

Transplant officials to consider changes in organ donation

The nation's organ transplant network will consider a controversial proposal Monday to overhaul the guidelines for an increasingly common form of organ donation.

25 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 18, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about a new publicity push in support of the health law.

18 Jun 2013

Study suggests social media initiative may help boost organ donation rates

A new social media initiative helped to boost organ donor registration rates, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation. The findings suggest that social media might be an effective tool for tackling a variety of problems related to public health in which communication and education are essential.

18 Jun 2013

Organ transplant board calls for review of child policy, creates new appeal system

A panel of officials that decides matters on organ transplants called Monday for a review of the guidelines for issuing organs to children and created a special appeals process after two cases of children who need lung transplants drew congressional and judicial attention.

12 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 11, 2013

Today's headlines include coverage of the Obama administration's decision to drop the fight to keep age restrictions in place for Plan B emergency contraceptive pill sales.

11 Jun 2013

Debate over a dying child and a lack of transplant organs

Several columnists explore the difficult questions raised by the case of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old with cystic fibrosis who needs a lung transplant to survive.

10 Jun 2013

Judge's second ruling on child transplants prompts ethical, political questions

A federal judge issued a second ruling in as many days allowing another dying child onto an adult transplant list -- a move that could have ramifications for thousands of adults waiting for donated organs.

10 Jun 2013

Experts call for international consensus on criteria used to diagnose circulatory and neurological death

The criteria used to diagnose both circulatory and brain death in a patient are subject to variability and as such can be controversial. Anaesthesiologists play an important role in procedures related to the determination of death, so should have specific knowledge about medical, ethical and legal criteria of brain death definition.

3 Jun 2013

Research report examines trends in pediatric organ donation and transplantation

Changes in the circumstances of when organs are donated to pediatric patients has resulted in a decreased number of organ transplant wait-list deaths over the past decade, according to research published online this week in the journal Pediatrics.

24 May 2013

SLU SNMA students receive Leadership in Institutional Diversity Award

A group of 40 students are part of Saint Louis University's Student National Medical Association chapter (SNMA), who are striving to reduce health disparities locally. This year, they received the Leadership in Institutional Diversity Award, a recognition given to a university for serving as an outstanding example of leadership and innovation in promoting and maintaining institutional diversity.

10 May 2013

End-of-life care issues need to become integral part of public health agenda, reveals new article

A new article available online in the American Journal of Public Health by two Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health faculty makes a compelling case that end-of-life care issues need to become an integral part of the public health agenda.

9 May 2013

Living liver donors at risk from life-threatening “near-miss” events?

A study published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, reports that donor mortality is about 1 in 500 donors with living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

25 Apr 2013

Experts say there is more need for organ donation in Hispanic community

April is National Donate Life Month, held to encourage organ and tissue donation and to celebrate donors who give a new life to others. Organ donors are always in short supply. In the United States, more than 118,000 people are waiting for organ transplants, and 19 percent are Hispanic.

25 Apr 2013

Nanogels to attack lupus: an interview with Dr Look and Dr Fahmy, Yale University

Nanogels are synthetic particles that can be used for drug delivery. They are approximately 100 nm to 200 nm in diameter, and are made from safe, biocompatible materials: a gel-like interior and a lipid exterior.

24 Apr 2013

Good news: Public support increasing for living, deceased organ donation

Good news for anyone needing a transplant; a new Mayo Clinic survey shows that the public's support for both living and deceased organ donation is increasing.

19 Apr 2013

Patients’ eligibility for liver transplantation may be lowered by incarceration, marijuana use, and psychiatric diagnoses

Results from an anonymous survey of U.S. transplant providers report that incarceration, marijuana use, and psychiatric diagnoses, particularly suicide attempts, may lower patients’ eligibility for liver transplantation.

4 Apr 2013

Loyola receives Silver Medal of Honor for Organ Donation

Loyola University Health System was awarded a Silver Medal of Honor for Organ Donation by the Department of Health and Human Services. Loyola is recognized for achieving and sustaining national goals for donation, including a donation rate of 75 percent or more of eligible donors during the time period of April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2012.

19 Mar 2013

Donated liver survival rate improved by antioxidant

Researchers from Italy have found that the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), when injected prior to harvesting of the liver, significantly improves graft survival following transplantation. Results published in the February issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), suggest that the NAC effect on early graft function and survival is higher when suboptimal organs are used.

21 Feb 2013