Philippines' kidney register to fight trafficking

This post The Organ Nazis’ Verdict? “No Kidney for You” appeared first on Daily Reckoning. Are you or someone you love in need of a transplant organ? You aren’t alone. Kidneys, livers, hearts — the number of patients in need of a transplant is skyrocketing. But the supply can’t keep up with the demand.

WINNIPEG — A group of transplant patients and their families wants the Manitoba government to change the rules so that people don’t have to sign up in order to donate their organs after death. Instead, the group wants to switch to a system called “presumed consent,” meaning everyone would be considered an organ donor unless they sign up to specifically opt out.

Sarah Murnaghan, the 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl with cystic fibrosis in need of a lung transplant, is getting the new lungs she needs in a procedure today. But the organ shortage that kept her waiting could be eliminated through better public policy.

Cadaver organs aren’t what they used to be: New Canadian research suggests growing rates of obesity and its related diseases may be leading to suboptimal organs for transplant. Montreal researchers who studied 1,040 brain-dead organ donors over 13 years found an “overall worsening” in their health status, with more recent donors more likely to have an increased body mass index, a smoking history, coronary artery disease and elevated blood fats than donors a decade ago.

Anita Singh, a 40-year-old from Noida with both her kidneys failed, sold her house earlier this year so that she could continue to pay for her dialysis. Singh has been waiting for a transplant for nearly eight months and needs dialysis twice a week. Her husband Virendra Kumar's kidney isn't a match and relatives couldn't provide her any respite either. Her husband and she have approached five hospitals in the National Capital Region for an O+ donor. Like around 170,000 others who live with failed kidneys, she is still waiting.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indian Medical Association in Kerala has come up with a plan to create a voluntary registry of organ donors with details of people who are willing to donate their organs and their consent letters. The registry will contain the consent letters of those willing to donate their organs and their health status along with other details. This is being compiled by IMA's Kerala chapter as part of a state-wide awareness campaign on organ donation.