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Join the fight for continued access to non-invasive testing!

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What is going on?

Medicare coverage for post-transplant tests, such as CareDx’s AlloMap and AlloSure, is being reviewed. The transplant community now has the opportunity to share comments and letters on the importance of these tests and how restricting access to these tests could negatively impact patients and their post-transplant health.

Why does this matter to you?

AlloMap and AlloSure help detect issues, such as rejection, with transplants earlier than traditional testing, while also helping patients avoid invasive procedures like biopsies. These tests have been trusted by the transplant community for over 15 years for heart transplant recipients, over 5 years in kidney transplant recipients, and over 2 years in lung transplant recipients.

New proposed coverage for these tests is more restrictive. If these new restrictions are put in place, it could limit access to these important tests. This could prevent your care team from being able to order these blood tests to check on how your transplant is doing when they think it is needed.

How can you help?

The patient voice is powerful and deserves to be heard on this important issue! From now until September 23, 2023, you can send a comment or letter to the groups making these decisions, voicing your perspective on the importance of these tests and need for continued access. 

While doing so in your own words is best, we have created the below prompts to help. To start your letter, select at least one of the prompts below that feels best for you and answer it in your own words. Be sure to include what kind of transplant you have had, a little bit about your own transplant story, and how non-invasive tests like AlloSure or AlloMap have impacted your post-transplant care.

Click here to learn more and start your letter!

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Some Kidney Transplant Patients Respond to Fourth COVID Vax Dose

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“A fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine boosted antibodies among half of kidney transplant recipients with suboptimal immune responses after three doses, a French case series found.

Among 92 patients with low anti-spike IgG titers (below 143 binding antibody units/mL) 1 month after the third dose, 50% reached the 143 BAU/mL threshold considered adequate against the initial COVID variants at 1 month following their fourth dose, reported Sophie Caillard, MD, PhD, of Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg in France, and colleagues.”

Read more here.

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First successful pig-to-human heart transplant may offer new options for patients

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  • A team of surgeons from the University of Maryland School of Medicine recently transplanted a genetically-modified pig heart into a 57-year-old male from Baltimore, MD.
  • The patient, who had arrhythmia, was not a viable candidate for the heart transplant list or an artificial heart pump.
  • The pig heart had 10 genetic modifications, including the removal of four pig genes and the addition of six human genes.
  • The surgical team hopes the continued success of this transplant will provide a new way to help those on the organ donor list.
  • However, some in the medical community question the ethical considerations of this type of transplant

Read more, here.

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FAQ: COVID-19 Basics for Transplant Patients

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“If you or a loved one is a UCSF transplant patient, you can find answers here to questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and how to otherwise minimize your risk of infection.

Should I get a fourth dose of the vaccine?

Yes. For immunosuppressed individuals, a series of three mRNA doses is now considered a “primary” series of vaccination against COVID-19. The CDC has approved a fourth dose, as a booster, that you can, and should, get six months after the third shot.

Does vaccination protect against the latest variant of the virus?

Existing vaccines likely do provide some immunity against omicron, the newest known variant of COVID-19, but boosters are important to maximize protection, according to a CDC statement issued when omicron was first detected in South Africa on Nov. 26, 2021. Omicron is now circulating in the United States and is variant has been labeled a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. It’s considered more contagious than earlier variants, though it’s not yet clear to what extent it poses risk of severe disease.”

Read more here.

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20 Common Kidney Transplant Q&A

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“When your kidneys fail, treatment is needed to replace the work your own kidneys can no longer do.  There are two types of treatment for kidney failure: dialysis or transplant. Many people feel that a kidney transplant offers more freedom and a better quality of life than dialysis.  In making a decision about whether this is the best treatment for you, you may find it helpful to talk to people who already have a kidney transplant. You also need to speak to your doctor, nurse and family members.”

Learn more here.

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COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised People

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“DEFINITION: Immunocompromised

Having a weakened immune system can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. Many conditions and treatments can cause a person to be immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system. Primary immunodeficiency is caused by genetic defects that can be inherited. Prolonged use of corticosteroids or other immune weakening medicines can lead to secondary or acquired immunodeficiency.”

Learn more here.

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The Power of a Plant-Based Holiday Plate

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“The holidays are a time for celebration but they can also be fraught with nutrition-related challenges, especially for our patients dealing with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.

Celebrations often feature calorie-dense foods, high in added sugars, fats, and sodium, culminating in unintentional weight gain and the subsequent resolution to lose it in the New Year. This begs the question: Is it possible for our patients to enjoy holiday foods and celebrations without compromising their health? The answer is a resounding yes!

Educating patients about healthier diets, such as plant-based eating, and equipping them with healthier spins on their favorite holiday recipes can help them maintain good health throughout the holiday season and beyond.”

Read more here.

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Temporary MCS a Safe, Effective Strategy for the Transplant Waitlist

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“Use of temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) as a bridge to transplantation was a good strategy for many people following implementation of the 2018 national donor heart allocation policy, yet hemodynamic criteria may need to be modified to better identify the most urgent transplant candidates.

Within 14 days of status 2 listing, people with either a percutaneous endovascular MCS device or an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) received a heart transplant in 64.2% of cases, and only 1.9% died or were delisted for worsening clinical condition (a figure that rose to 3.1% at 30 days on the waitlist).”

Learn more here.

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Steroids Cut Risk for Serious Renal Events in IgA Nephropathy

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“Oral steroids helped reduce the risk of major kidney outcomes for patients with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, the TESTING study found.

In a randomized trial of 503 participants, those who received oral methylprednisolone saw a 47% risk reduction for a composite kidney outcome — defined as a 40% eGFR decline or kidney failure resulting in dialysis, transplantation, or kidney disease-related death — meeting the primary endpoint (event rate 7.0 vs 11.8/100 patient-years; HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.39-0.72, P<0.0001), reported Vlado Perkovic, MBBS, PhD, of the University of New South Wales in Sydney.”

Learn more here.

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