U.S. to Invest $200 Million to Shorten Organ Transplant Wait Lists

The U.S. government announced plans on Monday to invest $200 million to help shorten the waiting list for patients waiting for organ transplants.

The investment, to be led by the Department of Defense, was announced at a White House summit to discuss the role of science and technology and innovation in organ transplantation.

It is designed to support technologies aimed at repairing and replacing cells and tissues, Jeff Zients, director of the White House National Economic Council told the meeting.

More than 120,000 people in the United States are on a donor waiting list, Zients said. About 80 percent of the demand is for kidneys, Zients said. End stage kidney failure costs Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and people with end stage renal disease, $34 billion a year.

That is more than 7 percent of the total Medicare budget, he added.

More than $160 million in public-private investment will go to a new Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Innovation Institute to help develop next-generation manufacturing techniques for cell therapies. Among other investments, $7 million will be earmarked for awards to small businesses working to advance the science of tissue preservation.

The donor registration system was built in 1968. Speakers at the summit discussed proposals for modernization, including easing the process for registering to become an organ donor via a declaration on social media.

Facebook, Tinder and Twitter are developing new tools to increase donor registration options and have a goal of achieving 1 million new registrations and social declarations by the end of 2016.

U.S. to Invest $200 Million to Shorten Organ Transplant Wait Lists - Scientific American

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Maybe they should cut the religious superstition and stupidity and make organ donation mandatory?
They could at least do it in any government run or funded hospital, if you don't like it go to a private hospital.

They can even have my guns, after I'm dead.

Yes, I am signed up as an organ donor.

^ me too. the dead should have their organs removed if needed unless previously stated otherwise by deadman or family objects.

I am signed up as an organ donor also.

It should be a given organs are harvested from the dead, unless they have signed previously they do not want it.

The way it is now now, someone can be signed up as an organ donor and their family can overturn it. I don't think that should be allowed.

California puts your organ donor status on your drivers license. As a cop I used to frequently let organ donors off with a warning instead of a ticket and tell them why.

Same same, as above, organ donations unless you sign not to donate, chances are after death, you will end up getting cut up anyway.
Most countries do an autopsy for sudden death anyway.

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Originally Posted by BobR

frequently let organ donors off with a warning instead of a ticket and tell them why.

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and if not ,, you throw the book at them. :chitown:

I can't disagree with the simple fact that once dead I no longer need my body parts and if they go to help make others lifes a little better or a little longer they can have at it. However I get the impression that what the goal here is has to do with rejuvenating the failing organ. That would shorten the list a bit. That's one list noone wants to be on for sure.