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Baylor surgeons perform first multi-organ transplant involving heart at Houston VA

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Dr. Alexander Schutz, assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dr. Alexis Shafii, associate professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Transplant and Circulatory Support, and Dr. Ronald Cotton, associate professor of surgery in the Division of Abdominal Transplantation, performed the first multi-organ transplant involving the heart at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston in July. Simultaneous liver and kidney transplants have happened since 2014, but this was the first time adding the heart in a multi-organ transplant at the MEDVAMC. Read the full story from Baylor College of Medicine.

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High rate of donated organs going unused is costing lives

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By Barry Massa

Every year, thousands of donated organs, primarily kidneys, go to waste because transplant centers decline to accept the organs for patients.

This is a reality that few outside of the transplant specialty are discussing. Despite calls from many corners of government to improve the organ donation and transplantation system, the non-use of donated organs is far down the list of concerns. Read the full story in Healio.

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CareDx Hosts Second Annual MEET Digital Health User Conference to Showcase Latest Innovations to Enhance Transplant Patient Care

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Conference Underscores CareDx’s Commitment to Improving Entire Transplant Patient Journey

BRISBANE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– CareDx, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNA) – The Transplant Company™ focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value healthcare solutions for transplant patients and caregivers – today announced its second annual digital health user conference, the Management Expert Exchange in Transplantation (MEET) Conference, taking place August 27-29 in Dallas, Texas. Read the complete press release on CareDx.com.

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Study Measures Impact of Pausing Organ Transplants in Pandemic

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By Brittany Magelssen

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted organ transplants in unprecedented ways. Many transplant centers considered slowing down and even pausing all transplants, mostly due to the potential risk of COVID-19 to organ donors, transplant recipients and care providers.

In a study published in the May 2023 special issue of Production and Operations Management on managing pandemics, two operations management researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas analyzed the impact of pausing transplants on patient outcomes.
Read the complete article from The University of Texas at Dallas.

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A Million Lives Saved and Counting

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For each organ transplanted in the U.S., Richmond’s UNOS makes it possible.

By Caroline Kettlewell

Heather James spent much of her young life fighting to breathe. Born with cystic fibrosis, she was losing that fight by the time she’d reached 19. In November of that year, with her lung function at barely 15 percent, her doctors “didn’t think I was going to make it to the New Year,” she recalls.

Then a stranger saved her life. Heather would never meet the woman who gave her a new pair of lungs, a liver, and a second chance at life. It was a gift that Heather, now 29, honors every day. Read the full story in
Virginia Living.

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Join the fight for patient rights!

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You may already be aware of a recent Medicare change that limits coverage for non-invasive transplant blood tests such as AlloSure and AlloMap which could put patients at risk.

A patient-focused coalition, Honor the Gift, has created a way for you to get involved to protect patient access to care by sending a letter directly to your congressman voicing your concern. Honor the Gift is dedicated to advocating for greater access and coverage for the care and services that help to ensure the long-term health of transplant patients. 

Help make sure every transplant patient continues to receive the critical innovations they deserve.

Click on the link below to learn more about Honor the Gift and to write your member of Congress today.

Act now—the voices of transplant patients can make a difference!

Click here to send your congressman a letter now.

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Experts Demand Overhaul of Organ Transplant System During Senate Hearing

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— Patient representative has “zero confidence” in change if UNOS remains involved

By Shannon Firth

Patients, advocates, and one rogue organ procurement organization (OPO) executive, among others, pledged support for legislation that aims to disrupt a decades-long monopoly over the U.S. transplant system during a hearing opens in a new tab or window of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care on Thursday.

“Every day 17 people die while on organ transplant waiting lists and another 13 are removed from the waiting list because they’ve become too sick to receive a transplant,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.). Read the full story in MedPage Today.

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Vote calls for a work group to consider whether organs transported via commercial flight could once again travel safely in a plane’s cabin

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The U.S. House of Representatives has approved, as part of its 2023 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill, a provision aimed at enhancing efficiencies of the transportation of donor organs through the nation’s commercial aviation system.

Section 834 of H.R. 3934, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, requires the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT), in consultation with the FAA Administrator, to convene a working group to develop best practices for the transportation of an organ in the cabin of an aircraft.
Read the complete press release from UNOS.

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New policy aims to speed kidney acceptance rates, increase transplants

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July 19, 2023, Richmond, VA

The OPTN Board of Directors unanimously approved a new policy that will help more patients receive a lifesaving kidney transplant by getting the right organ to the right patient faster.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the non-profit organization that contracts with the federal government to serve as the nation’s Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Read the complete press release from UNOS.

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