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Scientists Hope to Eliminate the Need for Anti-rejection Drugs After an Organ Transplant with Experimental Procedure

2024-03-28T20:59:39-04:00January 22nd, 2019|Categories: Costs for Treatment, Kidney Transplant, Medication|

A patient who received a liver transplant decreased his anti-rejection drugs from 40 to one (with the hope to eventually eliminate all anti-rejection medications being taken) with the help of doctors and an experimental procedure, as published this week by The New York Times. The procedure involves training the immune system of the patient receiving the organ into not attacking the new organ by manipulating white blood cells from both the organ donor and the recipient and later reincorporating those cells into the recipient. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Anti-rejection Drugs In order for organ transplants to be successful, patients must [...]

Would You Accept a Kidney from Someone Who Died of a Drug Overdose?

2024-03-28T21:00:04-04:00September 24th, 2018|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, News & Events, Treatment|

The opioid crisis in the US has increased the availability of organs for people looking for a transplant due to drug overdose deaths. As a result, someone in need of a kidney transplant might face a dilemma on whether to accept a kidney in this type of circumstance. One of the potential concerns relates to the organ donor being labeled as having an “increased risk” for contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV, which may not be able to be detected if contracted a week before his/her death. However, the risk is relatively small (less than a 1-in-1,000 chance), and a [...]

US Department of Labor Protects Living Organ Donors

2024-03-28T21:00:08-04:00September 5th, 2018|Categories: Employment, eNews, Kidney Transplant, News & Events, Treatment|

The US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division published an opinion letter last week stating that surgery for people who donate an organ qualifies as a “serious health condition” under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The letter may provide reassurance to individuals that are considering donating a kidney, but are concerned about losing their jobs due to being away for surgery or post-surgery care. About the Family and Medical Leave Act The FMLA allows “eligible employees of covered employers” the ability to take 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for certain family and medical conditions. [...]

Home Dialysis: Is It Your Best Treatment Option? – Recording and Slides

2024-03-28T21:00:09-04:00August 23rd, 2018|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis|

If you were unable to attend last week's education seminar, the recording is now available! Please see the video below for details. In addition, download the slides. We want to keep getting better. Please help us by sharing your comments and suggestions here: Webinar Review This program helps you: Learn about treatment options Weigh the benefits of more frequent dialysis Develop questions to ask your doctor when choosing your treatment choice Understand the patient's perspective by hearing a patient's dialysis story

RSVP for Thursday’s Webinar – Home Dialysis: Is It Your Best Treatment Option?

2024-03-28T21:00:13-04:00August 10th, 2018|Categories: eNews, Home Hemodialysis, In-Center Hemodialysis, Kidney Transplant, Peritoneal Dialysis, Webinar|

Join us on Thursday, August 16 at 2:00PM Eastern to learn if home dialysis would be an appropriate treatment option for you or your family. This program will help you: Learn about treatment options Weigh the benefits of more frequent dialysis Develop questions to ask your doctor when choosing your treatment choice Understand the patient's perspective by hearing a patient's dialysis story RSVP to attend. This webinar will be presented by: Dr. Michael Kraus, MD, FACP Nephrologist,  Indiana University School of Medicine Associate Chief Medical Officer, NxStage Medical, Inc. Vanessa Evans, Dialysis Patient Patient Advocate Manager, NxStage Medical, Inc. Dialysis patient for 20 [...]

The Nuts and Bolts of Becoming a Transplant Patient Recording and Slides

2024-03-28T21:00:14-04:00July 31st, 2018|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, Treatment, Webinar|

If you were unable to attend last week's education seminar, the recording is now available! Please see the video below for details. In addition, download the slides. We want to keep getting better. Please help us by sharing your comments and suggestions here: Webinar Review Topics include: Learning what it means to be on the transplant list Understanding the transplant process from start to finish Dispelling the myths of what is or is not involved Learning tips for to help you succeed in the process and more

RSVP for Thursday’s Webinar: The Nuts and Bolts of Becoming a Transplant Patient

2024-03-28T21:00:17-04:00July 24th, 2018|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, Treatment, Webinar|

Join us Thursday, July 26 at 2:00PM Eastern to learn the basics of what is involved with being a transplant patient. Topics include: Learning what it means to be on the transplant list Understanding the transplant process from start to finish Dispelling the myths of what is or is not involved Learning tips for to help you succeed in the process and more This webinar will be presented by Dr. Keith Melancon, Director of the George Washington Transplant Institute. About Dr. Melancon: Dr. Melancon is currently the Director of the George Washington Transplant Institute and the Medical Director of The Ron [...]

Researchers and Journalists Call Out Poorly Performing Organ Procurement Organizations

2024-03-28T21:00:21-04:00July 16th, 2018|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, Treatment|

Recent research and journalism has highlighted significant variations in the ability of regional Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) to obtain donor organs for transplants. An analysis by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania rated 35 of 58 OPOs, and identified the best performers among them the OPOs serving Utah and Southern Idaho; Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware; the Finger Lakes region of New York; Wisconsin; and Nebraska. The poorest performing were those serving the New York City region; Southern California; Kentucky; and North Carolina. The New York City OPO’s poor performance was highlighted in a New York Times article last week. Three [...]

The Waiting Game: How to Endure the Transplant Wait List

2024-03-28T21:01:08-04:00September 1st, 2017|Categories: Fact Sheet, Kidney Transplant, Mental Health, Stress Management, Support, The Kidney Citizen|

By Kirsten Weir If you are on the organ transplant waiting list (or hoping to be listed soon), you have probably experienced all kinds of emotions: Excitement, nervousness, anxiety, fear, joy, guilt. Maybe all in one day! The average time spent on the waiting list for a kidney varies from region to region. But for most patients, that wait is measured in years, not months. As the years go by, some people go about their daily lives and forget they are waiting for a life-changing call. Others feel mounting anxiety and hopelessness. All of those feelings are completely normal, says Heather [...]

Researchers Think They’ve Found the Cause of Organ Rejection

2024-03-28T21:01:13-04:00June 29th, 2017|Categories: eNews, Kidney Transplant, Medication|

Receiving a kidney transplant is the preferred treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, wait times to receive a transplant can be long, and the cost of medication to maintain the transplant is very high. Transplanted organs typically last around 10 years, if taken care of well. However, researchers at the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh may have found the answer to prevent organ rejection. Fadi Lakkis, the scientific director at the transplantation institute, believed ideally, an organ transplant would last the rest of the patient’s life. Not only this, but the drugs that suppress the [...]

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