Organ Donation Waiting List Essay

Patients on the waiting list are in end-stage organ failure and have been evaluated by a transplant physician at hospitals in the U.S. where organ transplants are performed. Policies that dictate organ allocation are created and revised through a consensus-building process that involves UNOS committees and a board of directors, all composed of transplant physicians, government officials, specialists in immunology and experts in organ donation, as well as donor families, transplant recipients and members of the general public. Specifics of waiting list rules vary by organ.² The time patients spend on the heart transplant waiting list can last anywhere from days to months, and in some cases years, depending on listing status. The availability of a donor with matching blood type and body size also affects the wait time.

These events have raised many ethical, moral and societal issues regarding supply, the methods of organ allocation, the use of living donors as volunteers including minors.² Due to the high costs of organ transplants, most patients use a combination of sources. Some patients can finance the transplant procedure through their primary insurance coverage and use savings and other private funds to pay for other expenses. Many patients work with community fundraising groups to complete their transplant financial strategy.² The costs of an organ transplant will vary for each patient, based on insurance coverage, the type of transplant and the location of the transplant center. Patients will also have a lifetime of medical expenses for follow-up care and