organ donation specialists


The integration of donation physician specialists into hospital teams in Canada could help increase organ donations, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.130050 Deceased donation rates in Canada are well behind those in many other countries with advanced organ transplant programs. These low rates mean that many patients die before a donor is found; in 2010, 16% of transplant candidates died awaiting a kidney, pancreas or both; 19% of lung transplant candidates, 22% of liver transplant candidates and 24% of heart