Organ Transplant: Medical Advances Improve Program Where Public Policy Fails

Organ transplantation has been in existence for over 50 years in the United States. What once began as a kidney transplant from sibling to sibling, has evolved into a national phenomenon of structure, administration, with advancing technology. With improvements in healthcare delivery, organ transplantation is more successful today than ever before.

With the risk of rejection as a key aspect of organ transplants 50 years ago, today, many individuals experience organ transplant with relatively few complications. Using drugs to suppress the immune system, medical development has improved the risk associated with organ transplants of most types.

In addition to a decrease in rejection rates, many individuals are also enjoying longer life of the transplanted organ. With increased life in the organ, many patients are living longer and longer with the organ transplants, ultimately improving the life of the patient as well as their family.

While there have been many successes in organ transplants over the last 50 years, many organ transplant recipients are experiencing complications just the same. The most profound complication facing many organ transplant recipients is the complication associated with trying to even obtain a donated organ. Because many potential organ donations are lost through administrative complications, there is a continued disadvantage and, to some extent, a failure to organ donation programs.

With shortages in organ donation, the waiting lists are continuing to grow. As waiting lists grow, patients waiting for organ donation are moved about the list, often bumped lower when a patient with more dire health status is in need. This emotional and psychological aspect of organ donation creates further hardship on families as they wait to hear the news of a successful organ donation.