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Ashwin A, Cherukuri SD, Rammohan A. The psychology, legality, ethics and medical aspects of organ donation by minors. Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2024; 38:100832. [PMID: 38340552 DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2024.100832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Any individual who has not attained the chronological age of legal majority as per national law is termed a minor. The concept of living donation (LD) has always been a subject of ethical debate and further compounding the controversy is the question of LD by minors. The decision for a minor to donate poses a special challenge as it involves a close family unit of parent-child relationship. Such an emotionally loaded situation wherein questions of attachment, perceived duties, moral obligation are likely to cloud a truly informed consent on the part of the minor to donation, who may find themselves in a vulnerable position. Furthermore, a minor's cognitive ability to comprehend the gravity of LD and when required defy parental coercion need to be elucidates before a minor is accepted for LD. Experts have set out stringent conditions which need to be met prior to the exceptional circumstance that a minor is considered for organ donation. Such donations should require parental permission, child's assent and the involvement of a paediatric-trained donor advocacy team. This article debates the question of minors acting as live donors from ethical, medical, psychosocial and legal viewpoints with an aim to present internationally defined circumstances when a minor may morally participate as a LD, thereby laying the foundation for future deliberations in this regard using traditional metrics to juxtapose divergent courses of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ashwin
- Wellington School, Wellington, UK
| | | | - A Rammohan
- The Institute of Liver Disease & Transplantation, Dr. Rela Institute & Medical Centre, Bharath Institute of Higher Education & Research, Chennai, India.
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2
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Hernández Benabe S, Batsis I, Dipchand AI, Marks SD, McCulloch MI, Hsu EK. Allocation to pediatric recipients around the world: An IPTA global survey of current pediatric solid organ transplantation deceased donation allocation practices. Pediatr Transplant 2023; 27 Suppl 1:e14317. [PMID: 36468320 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has not been a comprehensive global survey of pediatric-deceased donor allocation practices across all organs since the advent of deceased donor transplantation at the end of the 20th century. As an international community that is responsible for transplanting children, we set out to survey the existing landscape of allocation. We aimed to summarize current practices and provide a snapshot overview of deceased donor allocation practices to children across the world. METHODS The International Registry in Organ Donation and Transplantation (IRODAT, www.irodat.org) was utilized to generate a list of all countries in the world, divided by continent, that performed transplantation. We reviewed the published literature, published allocation policy, individual website references and associated links to publicly available listed allocation policies. Following this, we utilized tools of communication, relationships, and international fellowship to confirm deceased donation pediatric centers and survey pediatric allocation practices for liver, kidney, heart, and lung across the world. We summarize pediatric allocation practices by organ when available using source documents, and personal communication when no source documents were available. RESULTS The majority of countries had either formal or informal policies directed toward minimizing organ distribution disparity among pediatric patients. CONCLUSION Children have long-term life to gain from organ donation yet continue to die while awaiting transplantation. We summarize global strategies that have been employed to provide meaningful and sustained benefit to children on the waitlist.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stephen D Marks
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | | | - Evelyn K Hsu
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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3
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Ettenger R, Venick RS, Gritsch HA, Alejos JC, Weng PL, Srivastava R, Pearl M. Deceased donor organ allocation in pediatric transplantation: A historical narrative. Pediatr Transplant 2023; 27 Suppl 1:e14248. [PMID: 36468338 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the earliest clinical successes in solid organ transplantation, the proper method of organ allocation for children has been a contentious subject. Over the past 30-35 years, the medical and social establishments of various countries have favored some degree of preference for children on the respective waiting lists. However, the specific policies to accomplish this have varied widely and changed frequently between organ type and country. METHODS Organ allocation policies over time were examined. This review traces the reasons behind and the measures/principles put in place to promote early deceased donor transplantation in children. RESULTS Preferred allocation in children has been approached in a variety of ways and with varying degrees of commitment in different solid organ transplant disciplines and national medical systems. CONCLUSION The success of policies to advantage children has varied significantly by both organ and medical system. Further work is needed to optimize allocation strategies for pediatric candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ettenger
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Robert S Venick
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hans A Gritsch
- Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Juan C Alejos
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Patricia L Weng
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rachana Srivastava
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Meghan Pearl
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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4
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Mazariegos GV, Soltys KA, Perito ER. Waitlist mortality in pediatric liver transplantation: The goal is zero. Liver Transpl 2023; 29:130-131. [PMID: 37160059 DOI: 10.1002/lt.26549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- George V Mazariegos
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA
| | - Kyle A Soltys
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA
| | - Emily R Perito
- Department of Pediatrics, Benioff Children's Hospital , University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco , California , USA
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Mazariegos GV, Sindhi R, Ganoza A, Soltys K. Technical variant liver grafts in pediatric transplantation: Call to action. Pediatr Transplant 2023; 27:e14417. [PMID: 36303268 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- George V Mazariegos
- UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rakesh Sindhi
- UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Armando Ganoza
- UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kyle Soltys
- UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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6
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Ebel NH, Lai JC, Bucuvalas JC, Wadhwani SI. A review of racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in pediatric liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2022; 28:1520-1528. [PMID: 35188708 PMCID: PMC9949889 DOI: 10.1002/lt.26437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Equity is a core principle in both pediatrics and solid organ transplantation. Health inequities, specifically across race, socioeconomic position, or geography, reflect a moral failure. Ethical principles of prudential life span, maximin principle, and fair innings argue for allocation priority to children related to the number of life years gained, equal access to transplant, and equal opportunity for ideal posttransplant outcomes. Iterative policy changes have aimed to narrow these disparities to achieve pediatric transplant equity. These policy changes have focused on modifying pediatric priority for organ allocation to eliminate mortality on the pediatric transplant waiting list. Yet disparities remain in pediatric liver transplantation at all time points: from access to referral for transplantation, likelihood of living donor transplantation, use of exception narratives, waitlist mortality, and inequitable posttransplant outcomes. Black children are less likely to be petitioned for exception scores, have higher waitlist mortality, are less likely to be the recipient of a living donor transplant, and have worse posttransplant outcomes compared with White children. Children living in the most socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods have worse posttransplant outcomes. Children living farther from a transplant center have higher waitlist mortality. Herein we review the current knowledge of these racial and ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities for these children. To achieve equity, stakeholder engagement is required at all levels from providers and health delivery systems, learning networks, institutions, and society. Future initiatives must be swift, bold, and effective with the tripartite mission to inform policy changes, improve health care delivery, and optimize resource allocation to provide equitable transplant access, waitlist survival, and posttransplant outcomes for all children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle H Ebel
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics Stanford University Stanford California USA Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & NutritionDepartment of Medicine University of California San Francisco California USA Division of Pediatric HepatologyDepartment of Pediatrics Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York New York USA Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of PediatricsUniversity of CaliforniaSan Francisco California USA
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George M, Thomas G, Karpelowsky J. Pediatric transplantation: An international perspective. Semin Pediatr Surg 2022; 31:151192. [PMID: 35725047 DOI: 10.1016/j.sempedsurg.2022.151192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The international practice of transplant in the pediatric population is heterogenous. Global trends in pediatric transplant activity are increasing, with diffusion of transplant activities into developing and emerging economies. There have been impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which have in the earlier part of the pandemic caused a decrease in the number of transplants. While deceased donor programs are well established in advanced economies, emerging and developing countries rely heavily on live donor programs. Prioritization of organs for children exists in different forms throughout the world. Pediatric transplantation as a sub-specialty is young but growing around the world with a need to train surgeons and physicians in this discipline. Outreach efforts with multi-national and multi-institutional partnerships have enabled resource poor countries to establish new transplant programs for children. Further international collaboration, good quality data collection and audit, prospective research and ongoing mentorship and education are needed to further improve outcomes of all children receiving solid organ transplants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew George
- Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Australia
| | - Gordon Thomas
- Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Jonathan Karpelowsky
- Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Children's Cancer Research Unit, Kids Research Institute, Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
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Ross LF, Opel DJ. The case against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in pediatric solid organ transplantation. Pediatr Transplant 2022; 26:e14243. [PMID: 35150196 PMCID: PMC9115529 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The American Society of Transplantation in conjunction with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation released a joint statement on August 13, 2021 in which they strongly recommend that solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and their eligible household members and close contacts be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 with an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Some SOT programs have gone further and will refuse to list or transplant candidates unless the candidate and their household are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. METHODS Two general pediatrician-ethicists use current best evidence and moral theory to argue why it is unethical to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for pediatric SOT candidates, their primary support person, and their households. RESULTS Pediatric vaccine mandates are most justifiable when they prevent the harm of a serious vaccine preventable disease (VPD) in children in settings where transmission is highly likely and there are no alternatives that are effective in preventing transmission that intrude less on individual freedom. An additional justification for a vaccine mandate in the SOT context is stewardship of a scarce resource if there is significant risk of graft loss from the VPD to an unvaccinated SOT candidate or recipient. Current evidence does not support fulfillment of these criteria in pediatric solid organ transplantation. CONCLUSIONS Making SOT listing contingent on COVID-19 vaccination is problematic. Though there is some risk of harm to a pediatric SOT candidate in remaining unvaccinated, the risk of harm of not being listed and transplanted is greater and overriding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lainie Friedman Ross
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA,MacLean Center for Clinical Medical EthicsChicagoILUSA,Department of SurgeryUniversity of ChicagoChicagoILUSA
| | - Douglas J. Opel
- School of MedicineDepartment of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA,Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric BioethicsSeattle Children's Research InstituteSeattleWAUSA
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Lemoine CP, Wall A, Testa G, Superina R. Ethical considerations in pediatric solid organ transplantation. Semin Pediatr Surg 2021; 30:151104. [PMID: 34635280 DOI: 10.1016/j.sempedsurg.2021.151104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Solid organ transplantation is now an accepted therapeutic modality for children and teenagers suffering from a wide variety of complex medical conditions. Unfortunately, patients continue to die while on the organ waiting list as there remains an imbalance between the number of recipients listed for transplantation and the number of donors available. The organ allocation process continues to generate ethical questions and debates. In this publication, we discuss some of the most frequently reported ethical matters in the field of pediatric solid organ transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline P Lemoine
- Division of Transplant and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgery, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 225 E Chicago avenue Box 57, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Anji Wall
- Annette C. And Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Giuliano Testa
- Annette C. And Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Riccardo Superina
- Division of Transplant and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgery, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 225 E Chicago avenue Box 57, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
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