Donate Life Timothy Pruett, MD

Chief, Division of Transplantation

University of Minnesota

No conflicts, no off label discussions

What I am going to tell you

• The need for organs in the US

• What we can do to address the gap

• Optimize the gift

• What can YOU do to help address the problem?

TCF stadium: capacity 50,805

Waiting list in the US

• 9/2013: 119,948 people waiting for a transplant: 2.36 TCF stadiums of people. – Could fill almost 2 full TCF stadiums with people

waiting for a kidney transplant: 98,024

– Another half of TCF stadium with people waiting for extrarenal organs: 16,562 L, 3,633 H. 1,654 Lu, 3,315 Pa, +

• Additions to WL, 2012: – 56,313 total (more than capacity of TCF stadium).

– 36,457 added to wait for kidneys.

How does our system stack up?

Just the facts: 2012

-22,187 people received an organ transplant from a deceased donor fills the “good seats”

-11,896 died or got too sick to transplant in 2012 overflows the student section

-56,313 WL additions in 2012 more than the whole stadium

The WL isn’t numbers: there are real people waiting + another 1.36 TCF

stadiums

Is there more?

Does it matter? Cheaper therapy and live longer with a kidney transplant

http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/kustats/#7

So, what do we need and what do we have to allocate?

• Deceased donors: Transplants – 2012: 8,143 donors

-22,187 txp -10,868 kidneys

– 2011: 8,125 donors -22,518 txp

-11,043 kidneys

• Living donors: – 2012: 5,867

-5,864 total -5,617 kidneys

– 2011: 6,021 -6,020 total

-5,771 kidneys

The gap between need and availability

There is a gap, but also a way • Organ donation MUST

retain the trust of the public and healthcare community.

• The ability to do so is hampered by availability, logistics and capacity.

• Donation depends upon awareness and willingness. These are sometimes exclusive activities. – Awareness: what this talk

is to provide

– Willingness: what is inside the donor. Not a fixed trait. Must honor people’s health and maintain trust.

Perceptions/rumors that must

be addressed and overcome.

• SAY NO TO ORGAN DONATION!!!

PEOPLE ARE BEING DELIBERATELY

MURDERED IN HOSPITALS IN ORDER

TO HARVEST THEIR ORGANS. – http://birthofanewearth.blogspot.com/2013/07/say-no-to-organ-donation-people-are.html

• Friday, July 19, 2013

I don't like that man. I must get to know him better. -Abraham Lincoln

Donation is about trust. 1. that life is gone: we must be honest, aware, understanding and accurate in facts. 2. that gift will benefit: consistent with our values

Organ donation: skill

• 2012: 22,187 transplants/8,143 deceased

donors

– 2.72 organs/donor

– Donors are getting older

– More “risk” aversion from patients and centers

• Can’t we do better?

– 2.5 million deaths/yr: only 8000 donors?

– DDPS

– Research on donor management

• Need support of community to make any

substantial breakthroughs.

Things to do!

• Recognize the need and talk to others

– The problem is much larger than the current WL

– Thousands of people die unnecessarily

• Listen to concerns

– Donation must be seen within the scope of trust in

people helping other people with health

– Fear of death and abandonment

• Act

– Registry, donor cards, education/school

– For those working with injured/neurologically devastated: be

aware of opportunity (ER/ED, ICU, hospice).

• Celebrate/mourn with those who have gained/lost

– With recipients and deceased donor families

Survival in the US: we don’t all have

the same life expectancy (surprise)