It’s Time For Fairness In Organ Distribution

This year there are over 15,000 Americans on the waiting list for a lifesaving liver transplant. Unfortunately, only about 6,500 livers will be donated for transplant. As a result, more than 1,500 people will die waiting for a liver. Even worse, where we live can dramatically influence the chance of receiving a lifesaving organ. With the same degree of illness, the chance of receiving a transplant within 90 days can vary from as high as 86 percent in some regions to as low as 18 percent in other regions, according to recent research published in the American Journal of Transplantation. In simple terms, where you live can literally determine whether you live or die if you’re waiting for a transplant. How We Got Here The 6,500 livers available for transplant this year will be allocated based on an algorithm. The country is divided into local units called donation service areas (DSA). For purposes of allocation, organs preferentially stay in the local DSA before being shared more broadly. Ultimately governed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the methodology for matching livers to patients first allocates livers to recipients in the local DSA, who are ranked by medical urgency. Medical urgency is calculated by a severity of illness score at the time of transplant. The system is therefore designed to prioritize where recipients live over medical factors. A major flaw of this system is that local donation areas vary widely in the size and demographics o...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Equity and Disparities Featured Quality donation service areas HRSA liver transplant organ donation UNOS Source Type: blogs