in focus
Proportion of deceased donors with a history of IV drug use and death due to drug overdose during 2008 and 2018 by region
Based on data from the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
If an organ donor is an active intravenous drug user, their risk of acute hepatitis C (HCV) infection is higher than almost any other behavioral risk factor.
The increasing opiate epidemic in the U.S. has impacted every region. Because of this tragedy, more transplants, especially those from donors that could place the potential recipient at increased risk of disease transmission, are being completed.
Though there is research detailing the successful use of organs from donors who are currently using and abusing drugs, challenges remain and clinicians and patients continue to be cautious, especially regarding the risks of inadvertently acquiring viral hepatitis and/or HIV.
Fortunately, hepatitis B remains relatively uncommon in the U.S. and unanticipated HIV transmissions have not been documented since the new Public Health Service (PHS) Increased Risk Guidelines were put into place in 2013. The safety and efficacy of HCV treatments in transplant is improving day by day, but according to cases studied in 2018 by the OPTN Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC), unexpected hepatitis C (HCV) donor-derived transmissions have been on the rise.
Read more about the committee’s findings and an update on its work presented at the spring 2019 regional meetings.
In focus
HOPE Act impact continues at five-year milestone
More than 220 transplants have been performed to date through the HOPE Act.
LifeShare of Oklahoma increases DCD donor recovery during COVID-19
DCD recoveries are up across the country as OPOs build effective practices.
Using registries to improve outcomes and transplant management
UNOS builds and hosts registries enabling OPOs and transplant centers to address issues such as treatment, payment, quality improvement, benchmarking and clinical research.
Preserving candidate wait time during temporary inactivation due to COVID-19
Altering organ acceptance criteria protects candidates at risk of COVID-19 from losing accrued wait time.
