The First Human Organ Transplant

It was only a matter of time before a businessman in Virginia saw a way to profit from the success of transplantation. In 1983 H. Barry Jacobs announced the opening of a new exchange through which competent adults could buy and sell organs. His failing was in his decision to use needy immigrants as the source of the organs (Pence 36). As a result Congress, passed the National Organ Transplant Act (Public Law 98-507) in 1984, which prohibited the sale of human organs and violators would be subjected to fines and imprisonment (“Donation Details”).

Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, the procedure has evolved from a risky experimental procedure to a relatively safe and standard procedure. Since then, doctors have been consistently raising the bar and have had success with numerous organ transplants, including hearts, lungs, livers, skin and even full facial transplants. Organs can be donated from the obvious, a deceased person, or from a cadaveric donor (someone who is declared brain dead) or from live donors. The transplantable organs from a live donor include the kidney, part of the lung and liver, and part of the eye, the cornea. The donor organs

Organ donating is a surgical procedure. In simple terms, it is removing a specific organ or tissue from a donor, and transplanting it into a recipient (Cleveland Clinic, 2014). Unfortunately, the recipient is receiving the transplant because his or her own organ failed, or is no longer functioning properly. When one needs a transplant, their name is put on a waiting list. In the United States, there are more than 122,344 people on the waiting list and a new name is added, on average, every 12 minutes (American Transplant Foundation, “Facts,” 2014). For many of the patients on the transplant list, receiving a transplant “offers the hope of disease cure” (Thomas & McKeown, 2012). One donor can save eight people with organs, and enhance 50 other people’s lives with tissues (Oxiem Brand Interactions, 2013). About 7% of the patients on the list, or more than 6,500 patients, die each year because they did not receive a transplant (American Transplant Foundation, “Facts,” 2014). On December 23, 1954, the very first liver transplanted from a living donor to a recipient took place. The transplant to place at Brigham Hospital in Boston, and was

With organ transplants so prevalent in today’s society, it is important that the ethical issues surrounding them are fully understood. While many people want to see life extended as long as possible, there are others who believe life must be allowed to run its natural course. This literature review examines the process of organ transplantation from continuous shortages of available organs to the distribution process to the lasting effects of the transplant on the patient. The research showed that even as policies and procedures adapt to our evolving society, it is very likely there will always be disagreement on the subject of organ transplantation.

Human organ and/or transplant donors are in abnormally high demand due to the growing number of people who are now registered on the national donor transplant waiting list, due to the growing number of kidney failures, increasing awareness of the obesity epidemic, and other serious health risks such as types 1 and 2 diabetes. These concerns would undeniably result in the eventual destruction and/or death of vital internal organs, necessary for daily metabolic functions. Currently, in the year 2015, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN), “134, 702 recipients on the all-donor waiting list. Out of that number, more than 109,000+ are waiting for a kidney” (OPTN, 2015). This number is “nearly 10% greater for all-donor

Organ transplantation is the surgical removal and transfer of an organ from one body to another (Kanniyakoni, 2005). The process begins with someone needing an organ transplant, then being put on a waiting list. Once a patient is added to the national organ transplant waiting list, the individual may receive an organ fairly quickly or may wait many years. In general, the average time frame is three to five years at most centers. Waiting time is also dependent upon certain factors such as a patient 's medical urgency, blood, tissue and size match with the donor, time on the waiting list and proximity to the donor (Gift of Life, 2017). The previous procedures increase the substance in the body known as antibodies.  Due to a higher level of

In many cases, the preferred treatment for chronic organ failure is organ transplantation. Organ transplantation involves replacing the organs that have failed in their functions. The lives of many people, including children, has been prolonged when organ transplantation was performed successfully. Organ transplantation has become a major public health issue in the United States due to its attributable death rate and to its excessive cost. The number of organs which are offered for transplantation is limited. Hence, there is a waiting list for receiving the organs. For example, during the last decade in the United States, the available kidneys for transplantation were 11,000 per year while the waiting list for kidney transplantation has exceeded

The first successful human organ transplant in the United States was performed on December 23, 1954. On that date, a kidney was successfully transplanted, with the organ donated by a living identical twin of the recipient (Kaserman, 2007). More than fifty years have now passed since that first successful human organ transplant and since then, organ transplantation has moved from the experimental stage to assume an important role in the treatment of organ failure stemming from a wide variety of underlying causes. Today, kidneys,

A particular heated debate has risen on the matter of legislative defaults on cadaveric organ donation. In many countries, including the U.S., Great Britain, Germany and Austria, cadaveric organ

Organ donation is one of the most pressing health policy issues for our government to deal with and organ donation rates in England must increase in order to meet the demand for organs on waiting lists. Furthermore, the demand for surgical procedures such as organ transplantation has rapidly increased after scientific breakthroughs in transplant technologies as well as the advent of new medicines to reduce many problems associated with transplants, thereby increasing the life expectancy of people receiving the transplant.

The practice of organ and tissue donation requires regulation and legislation to ensure the rights of the donor and recipient are protected throughout the entire process. Because of the scarcity of human organs in the United States, the government created the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) in 1968 to standardize the distribution of organs throughout the country ("Organ Donation"). Prior to the UAGA of 1968, there were no federal laws concerning donation, and donations were conducted at the state level ("Organ Donation"). The UAGA of 1968 proved to be efficient in the distribution of organs, but the system needed modifications to meet the high demands of transplants. The original UAGA lacked policies regarding the ethical issues that arise when in the donation process. After being revised in 1972 and once again in 1987, the UAGA added new policies to further improve donation in the United States. The new policies explicitly prohibited the selling of human organs, honored the descendant 's wishes over the family

The overwhelming need of organ transplants are increasing daily. There are many causes for such a high demand in the organ crisis, one of them being diabetes. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of organ transplants, primarily kidneys. The waiting lists for donated organs are so incredibly long, that often, people wait for up to three years for an organ to become available. In the United Sta`

To begin, there is a timeline of historical events significant to organ donation. In 1954 the first successful kidney transplant was performed (Timeline of Events, n.d.). In that situation, a living donor gave a kidney to his identical twin. Many people were amazed that one twin could save another

It is undeniable that many patients have benefited thanks to these procedures, increasing survival and improving their quality of life. However, we face new ethical dilemmas such as the problem of donor shortage. n the United States, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), “in 2011 3,614 transplants were performed various organs, but the current waiting list is 92,333” (Welbour). Each country has adopted a consent for donation. The countries of liberal culture, governed by explicit consent model, also known as "opt-in". What it means is that each individual should have expressly indicated their willingness to donate to "enter" (hence opt-in) in the pool of potential donors. The presumed consent model or "opt-out" governs donor policies and countries like France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Lithuania and Spain, among others (Mercer). In any of these countries, just that it has not expressed a negative to be a donor. In other words: it is necessary to express that wish not to donate to "exit" (opt-out) the pool of potential donors. States

Organ donation has been a part of this world since the beginning of time, many tales have been told that body parts were taken from one person or animal and was put into another body (Organ & Tissue Transplants). The first half of the twentieth century, doctors placed animal organs into human beings (Organ and Tissue Transplants). It wasn’t until doctors in Russia by the name of Dr. U. Voronoy, in the year of 1936, performed the first human-to-human kidney transplant (Organ & Tissue Trans). Although, the surgery by Dr. U. Voronoy was successful, the patient died after only two days with the new kidney. After many unsuccessful trials the with the transplantation of kidneys, it wasn't until Ronald Herrick wanted to