The Reality of Inadequate Patient Care and the Need for a Global Action Framework in Organ Donation and Transplantation

Background: Transplant therapy is considered the best and often the only available treatment for thousands of patients with organ failure that results from communicable and non -communicable diseases. The number of annual organ transplants is insufficient for the worldwide need. Methods: We elaborate the proceedings of the workshop entitled “The Role of Science in the Development of International Standards of Organ Donation and Transplantation,” organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and cosponsored by the World Health Organization in June 2021. Results: We detail the urgency and importance of achieving national self-sufficiency in organ transplantation as a public health priority and an important contributor to reaching relevant targets of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the elements of a global action framework intended for countries at every level of economic development to facilitate either the establishment or enhancement of transplant activity. It sets forth a proposed plan, by addressing the technical considerations for developing and optimizing organ transplantation from both deceased and living organ donors and the regulatory oversight of practices. Conclusions: This document can be used in governmental and policy circles as a call to action and as a checklist for actions needed to enable organ transplantation as treatment for organ failure

International Travel for Organ Transplantation: A Survey of Professional Experiences and Attitudes Toward Data Collection and Reporting

Background. Lack of data regarding international travel for organ transplantation (ITOT) hampers efforts to evaluate, understand, and respond to trends in ITOT activities, such as those suggestive of organ trafficking or “transplant tourism.” This study aimed to assess transplant professionals’ experience of ITOT and their attitudes toward reporting ITOT data to a global registry. Methods. An international cross-sectional anonymous survey of transplant professionals was conducted online (from October to December 2022). The English language questionnaire assessed professional experiences in providing care to individuals who had traveled to or from a country for living donation or transplantation, and attitudes toward reporting of ITOT data. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results. Two hundred thirty-nine individuals from 68 countries completed the entire questionnaire, of whom 79% had provided care for ≥1 patient who had traveled internationally for donation or transplantation. Of these, 60.8% of individuals (n = 115) had cared for ≥1 person who engaged in ITOT between 2019 and 2022, with the most recent case experiences involving 89 countries and 157 unique routes of international travel. Predominant concerns regarding reporting of ITOT data to a global registry related to prevention of harm and protection of patient privacy; most (52.7%; n = 126) respondents expressed a preference for anonymous reporting of ITOT data. Conclusions. ITOT is a global phenomenon and transplant professionals’ experience with ITOT cases is more common than anticipated. Systems for the collection of ITOT activity data should be carefully designed to address potential ethical concerns of transplant professionals which may influence reporting practices

The Reality of Inadequate Patient Care and the Need for a Global Action Framework in Organ Donation and Transplantation

Background. Transplant therapy is considered the best and often the only available treatment for thousands of patients with organ failure that results from communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The number of annual organ transplants is insufficient for the worldwide need. Methods. We elaborate the proceedings of the workshop entitled "The Role of Science in the Development of International Standards of Organ Donation and Transplantation,"organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and cosponsored by the World Health Organization in June 2021. Results. We detail the urgency and importance of achieving national self-sufficiency in organ transplantation as a public health priority and an important contributor to reaching relevant targets of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the elements of a global action framework intended for countries at every level of economic development to facilitate either the establishment or enhancement of transplant activity. It sets forth a proposed plan, by addressing the technical considerations for developing and optimizing organ transplantation from both deceased and living organ donors and the regulatory oversight of practices. Conclusions. This document can be used in governmental and policy circles as a call to action and as a checklist for actions needed to enable organ transplantation as treatment for organ failure.Fil: Domínguez Gil, Beatriz. Ministerio de Sanidad; EspañaFil: Ascher, Nancy L.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Fadhil, Riadh A.S.. Weill Cornell Medicine-qatar; QatarFil: Muller, Elmi. University of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Cantarovich, Marcelo. Centre Universitaire de Santé Mcgill; CanadáFil: Ahn, Curie. Asian Society of Transplantation; Corea del SurFil: Berenguer, Marina. La Fe University Hospital; España. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Bušić, Mirela. Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia; CroaciaFil: Egawa, Hiroto. Tokyo Women's Medical University; JapónFil: Gondolesi, Gabriel Eduardo. Fundación Favaloro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Haberal, Mehmet. Başkent University; TurquíaFil: Harris, David. The University Of Sydney; AustraliaFil: Hirose, Ryutaro. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients; ArgentinaFil: Ilbawi, André. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Jha, Vivekanand. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: López Fraga, Marta. Council Of Europe; FranciaFil: Andrés Madera, Sergio. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Najafizadeh, Katayoun. Shahid Beheshti University Of Medical Sciences; IránFil: O'Connell, Philip J.. The University of Sydney; AustraliaFil: Rahmel, Axel. German Organ Transplantation Foundation; AlemaniaFil: Shaheen, Faissal A.M.. King Fahad Hospital; Arabia SauditaFil: Twahir, Ahmed. Aga Khan University Hospital; KeniaFil: Van Assche, Kristof. Universiteit Antwerp; BélgicaFil: Wang, Haibo. China Organ Transplant Response System; ChinaFil: Haraldsson, Boerje. University Goteborg; SueciaFil: Chatzixiros, Efstratios. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Delmonico, Francis L.. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unido

The reality of inadequate patient care and the need for a global action framework in organ donation and transplantation

Background. Transplant therapy is considered the best and often the only available treatment for thousands of patients with organ failure that results from communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The number of annual organ transplants is insufficient for the worldwide need. Methods. We elaborate the proceedings of the workshop entitled "The Role of Science in the Development of International Standards of Organ Donation and Transplantation,"organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and cosponsored by the World Health Organization in June 2021. Results. We detail the urgency and importance of achieving national self-sufficiency in organ transplantation as a public health priority and an important contributor to reaching relevant targets of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the elements of a global action framework intended for countries at every level of economic development to facilitate either the establishment or enhancement of transplant activity. It sets forth a proposed plan, by addressing the technical considerations for developing and optimizing organ transplantation from both deceased and living organ donors and the regulatory oversight of practices. Conclusions. This document can be used in governmental and policy circles as a call to action and as a checklist for actions needed to enable organ transplantation as treatment for organ failure.Fil: Domínguez Gil, Beatriz. Ministerio de Sanidad; EspañaFil: Ascher, Nancy L.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Fadhil, Riadh A.S.. Weill Cornell Medicine-qatar; QatarFil: Muller, Elmi. University of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Cantarovich, Marcelo. Centre Universitaire de Santé Mcgill; CanadáFil: Ahn, Curie. Asian Society of Transplantation; Corea del SurFil: Berenguer, Marina. La Fe University Hospital; España. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Bušić, Mirela. Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia; CroaciaFil: Egawa, Hiroto. Tokyo Women's Medical University; JapónFil: Gondolesi, Gabriel Eduardo. Fundación Favaloro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería. Fundación Favaloro. Instituto de Medicina Traslacional, Trasplante y Bioingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Haberal, Mehmet. Başkent University; TurquíaFil: Harris, David. The University Of Sydney; AustraliaFil: Hirose, Ryutaro. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients; ArgentinaFil: Ilbawi, André. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Jha, Vivekanand. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: López Fraga, Marta. Council Of Europe; FranciaFil: Andrés Madera, Sergio. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Najafizadeh, Katayoun. Shahid Beheshti University Of Medical Sciences; IránFil: O'Connell, Philip J.. The University of Sydney; AustraliaFil: Rahmel, Axel. German Organ Transplantation Foundation; AlemaniaFil: Shaheen, Faissal A.M.. King Fahad Hospital; Arabia SauditaFil: Twahir, Ahmed. Aga Khan University Hospital; KeniaFil: Van Assche, Kristof. Universiteit Antwerp; BélgicaFil: Wang, Haibo. China Organ Transplant Response System; ChinaFil: Haraldsson, Boerje. University Goteborg; SueciaFil: Chatzixiros, Efstratios. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Delmonico, Francis L.. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unido