Browsing by Author "Cantarovich, Marcelo"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Benefit to Few Versus Risk to Many: An Ethical Dilemma During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic for Deceased-Donor Organ Transplant in a Resource-Limited Developing Country
(2021) Kute, Vivek; Ramesh, Vasanthi; Shroff, Sunil; Prasad, Narayan; Guleria, Sandeep; Prakash, Jai; Sahay, Manisha; Modi, Pranjal; Cantarovich, Marcelo; Haberal, Mehmet; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3462-7632; 32778012; AAJ-8097-2021
The tools in our armamentarium to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, are social distancing; frequent handwashing; use of facial masks; preventing nonessential contacts/travel; nationwide lockdown; and testing, isolation, and contact tracing. However, the World Health Organization's suggestions to isolate, test, treat, and trace contacts are difficult to implement in the resource-limited developing world. The points to weigh before performing deceased-donor organ transplant in developing countries are as follows: limitations in standard personal protective equipment (as approved by the World Health Organization), testing kits, asymptomatic infections, negative-pressure isolation rooms, intensive care unit beds, ventilator support, telehealth, availability of trained health care workers, hospital beds, the changing dynamic of this pandemic, the unwillingness of recipients, education updates, and additional burdens on the existing health care system. This pandemic has created ethical dilemmas on how to prioritize the use of our facilities, equipment, and supplies in the cash-strapped developing world. We believe that, at the present time, we should aim to resolve the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting a large sector of the population by diverting efforts from deceased-donor organ transplant. Transplant units should conduct case-by-case evaluations when assessing the convenience of carrying out lifesaving deceased-donor organ transplant, appropriately balanced with the resources needed to address the current pandemic.
Impact of Religion on Opinions About Organ Donation and Transplantation in University Students From a Single University in Turkey
(2021) Ozsoy, Balin; Herrera Gayol, Andrea; Unal, Yasemin; Askar, Medhat; Haberal, Mehmet; Cantarovich, Marcelo; 0000-0002-3462-7632; 0000-0002-3976-2286; 34325622; AAJ-8097-2021
Objectives: The objective of the present report was to analyze the opinions, attitudes, and practices of Baskent University students with regard to the impact of religion on organ donation and transplantation. Materials and Methods: We sent a web-based, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire (1: strongly disagree; 5: strongly agree) to capture the opinions and attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation after participants attended or did not a panel discussion on these topics. Results: We sent 361 E-mails and received 69 responses, of which 46 students attended the panel discussion. Most of the participants who attended were part of the faculty of medicine. Participants who did not attend were composed of students from other faculties at Baskent University. Religion played less of a role with regard to opinions on organ donation in those who did not attend. Of the attendees, 54.3% strongly agreed to become organ donors, 50% believed in the important role of religion in organ donation, and 54.3% believed that media sources play important roles in shaping public opinion on organ donation. The majority felt comfortable discussing organ donation with family and friends. Conclusions: Although religion has an undeniable effect on the decision-making process, our survey showed that more than half of the participants were willing to become organ donors. Education, through the joint efforts of medical and religious scholars, as well as the media, should contribute to raising awareness on organ donation, thus contributing to increased access to transplantation worldwide.
The Reality of Inadequate Patient Care and the Need for a Global Action Framework in Organ Donation and Transplantation
(2022) Dominguez-Gil, Beatriz; Ascher, Nancy L.; Fadhil, Riadh A. S.; Muller, Elmi; Cantarovich, Marcelo; Ahn, Curie; Berenguer, Marina; Egawa, Hiroto; Gondolesi, Gabriel E.; Haberal, Mehmet; Harris, David; Hirose, Ryutaro; Ilbawi, Andre; Jha, Vivekanand; Lopez-Fraga, Marta; Madera, Sergio Andres; Najafizadeh, Katayoun; O'Connell, Philip J.; Rahmel, Axel; Shaheen, Faissal A. M.; Twahir, Ahmed; Van Assche, Kristof; Wang, Haibo; Haraldsson, Boerje; Chatzixiros, Efstratios; Delmonico, Francis L.; Busic, Mirela; 36279558
Background. Transplant therapy is considered the best and often the only available treatment for thousands of patients with organ failure that results from communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The number of annual organ transplants is insufficient for the worldwide need. Methods. We elaborate the proceedings of the workshop entitled "The Role of Science in the Development of International Standards of Organ Donation and Transplantation," organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and cosponsored by the World Health Organization in June 2021. Results. We detail the urgency and importance of achieving national self-sufficiency in organ transplantation as a public health priority and an important contributor to reaching relevant targets of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. It details the elements of a global action framework intended for countries at every level of economic development to facilitate either the establishment or enhancement of transplant activity. It sets forth a proposed plan, by addressing the technical considerations for developing and optimizing organ transplantation from both deceased and living organ donors and the regulatory oversight of practices. Conclusions. This document can be used in governmental and policy circles as a call to action and as a checklist for actions needed to enable organ transplantation as treatment for organ failure.