All articles tagged with #organtransplant
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced reforms to the organ transplant system after findings showed some organs were being removed from donors who still showed signs of life, with stricter protocols and potential decertification for non-compliant organ procurement organizations.
The article discusses the ethical and scientific challenges of xenotransplantation, the process of transplanting animal organs into humans, highlighted by the case of a genetically engineered pig heart transplanted into a human. While this could potentially address the organ shortage crisis, significant hurdles remain, including organ rejection, ethical concerns about animal welfare, and the risk of zoonotic diseases. Bioethicist L. Syd Johnson emphasizes the need for informed consent and questions the prioritization of xenotransplantation over other medical advancements that could prevent organ failure.
Thousands of Black kidney transplant candidates have been given credit for lost waiting time due to a racially biased organ test, which overestimated kidney function in Black people, delaying their access to transplants. The U.S. organ transplant network has ordered hospitals to use race-neutral test results, and more than 14,300 Black kidney transplant candidates have had their wait times modified, with over 2,800 receiving transplants. This is part of a larger effort to address racial bias in medical algorithms and restore faith in the health system, as Black Americans are over three times more likely than white people to experience kidney failure.
Duke Health has successfully performed the world's first partial heart transplant on a baby, a groundbreaking procedure that allows the transplanted heart valves and arteries to grow with the child. This innovative approach could significantly reduce the need for multiple, risky heart surgeries in children with heart valve defects, offering hope for improved long-term outcomes in pediatric heart care.