From pigs to payouts, weighing solutions for the US kidney shortage

From pigs to payouts, weighing solutions for the US kidney shortage
Healthcare Brew; by Caroline Catherman; 9/18/24
About one out of every 20 people waiting for a kidney transplant die each year, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Scientists, policymakers, and other experts are scrambling to find a solution. Kidneys are currently the most needed organ in the country, and an ongoing crisis has left tens of thousands in limbo. As of September, nearly 90,000 people in the US are waiting for kidneys, but only around 27,000 transplants were performed in 2024, according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
Publisher's note: Hospice Analytics, a Hospice & Palliative Care Today sponsor, posted this blog and has given presentations on opportunities and challenges for hospices to honor patient wishes regarding organ and tissue donation.