Empowered Patient Podcast Extending Transplant Access with Diagnostics and Living Donors with Tina Liedtky Thermo Fisher Scientific
Tina Liedtky, President of Transplant Diagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific, identifies the significant challenges in the US organ transplant system that must be addressed to meet the demand for organs. Patient access to transplant care is hindered by geography, the need to match donors and recipients, and the threat of organ rejection. Living donations, particularly of kidneys and livers, are a solution to address the organ shortage, as organs from living donors often lead to better outcomes and can be scheduled to avoid damage caused by organ transportation.
Tina explains, "So first of all, I would say that organ transplantation saves thousands of lives a year and gives patients with end-stage organ disease the ability to extend their lives meaningfully for many years. However, the organ transplant system in the US is not perfect, and it faces several real challenges. The most pressing challenge is a persistent imbalance between organ supply and demand, in that far more patients are in need of a lifesaving transplant than there are available organs, which leaves many patients waiting too long for a compatible organ or perhaps will never receive a compatible match. And unfortunately, for those patients left waiting, many get sicker, and often patients die while waiting on the wait list. So this gap in supply and demand is real, and it underscores the importance of living donation, which can help expand the pool of available organs and give patients a chance at the timely care that they need."
"Another significant challenge is patient access to organ transplant care. For instance, in the weeks leading up to the transplant procedure and after the procedure, patients are often required to be living or situated near the hospital or the transplant center where the surgery is performed. This can pose a challenge to those who simply don't reside in areas where there are major transplant centers or who can't afford temporary housing. And that creates a socioeconomic inequity when it comes to access."
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