Organ Donation News and Research

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Routine screening of blood samples would reduce the risk of disease transmission among transplant recipients

Results of a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that routine screening of blood samples to detect viral RNA among organ and tissue donors who do not have obvious signs of clinical disease would reduce the risk of disease transmission among transplant recipients.

29 Oct 2004

Americans happy to donate money but not blood and tissue

When asked, most Americans will say that donating to worthy causes is a good thing. And many will put their time and money where their mouths are and volunteer or pony up or both. Except when it comes to donating blood and tissue.

10 Sep 2004

Launch of new Australian Medicare smartcard

The new Australian Medicare smartcard was launched in Launceston, Tasmania this week.

29 Jul 2004

Illinois bill that allows people with HIV to donate organs to other people who are HIV-positive

The bill was written by state representative Larry McKeon, who has HIV, and signed by Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. In the past, people with HIV were not considered good candidates for transplantation because of a reduced life expectancy. Drug treatments are now more advanced, and people with HIV are living longer.

21 Jul 2004

Rabies infections in organ donor and transplant recipients

On June 30, 2004, CDC confirmed diagnoses of rabies in three recipients of transplanted organs and in their common donor, who was found subsequently to have serologic evidence of rabies infection.

2 Jul 2004

BMA comments on the Human Tissue Bill

Commenting on the Human Tissue Bill, to be debated in the House of Commons on Monday 28 June, the BMA strongly welcomes many of the changes that are being proposed.

26 Jun 2004

We want to figure out how to grow new kidneys in humans

Growing new organs to take the place of damaged or diseased ones is moving from science fiction to reality, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

22 Jun 2004

Organ donation bill signed into law

On April 5, 2004 the President signed into law H.R. 3926, the Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act. ALF has supported the passage of this bill for several years and we should consider its passage as one of our “victories.” The bill does the following things:

22 Apr 2004

HHS Launches Organ Donation Education Program for High School Students

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released a new organ and tissue donation education program to raise awareness among high school students and to help them make informed decisions about donation.

20 Apr 2004

Ethnocultural beliefs vary widely on organ donation

Although a high number of Chinese- and Indo-Canadians and Aboriginal people are awaiting organ transplants, there is little knowledge about organ donation and registration processes for organ donation among these ethnocultural communities, according to a recent UVic study.

14 Apr 2004

Requests for organ donors must be tempered by a better understanding of cultural differences

In Canada, most organ donations come from people who have died, rather than from living donors. In western culture, there is a division between mind and body, he explains. Once the brain no longer functions, the corpse is no longer considered a true person -- as highlighted by Descartes' philosophy, "I think, therefore, I am" -- so organ donation is seen as acceptable. In addition, western society has been greatly influenced by the Christian belief in the spiritual value of non-reciprocal giving, says Bowman, making organ donation a gift of love and generosity.

6 Apr 2004