Organ Donation—The Gift of Life

Contributed by: Stephen John, Pharm.D. Candidate

UMKC School of Pharmacy

Text Box: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 74 people receive a life-saving organ transplant every day, but 17 people die each day waiting. These 17 people die waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs. Today, around 90,000 Americans are in need of life saving organ donations, and all of them could receive those transplants if more people were willing to become organ donors. Low rates of organ donation can be linked to fears about becoming an organ donor, and misconceptions about how organs are distributed when an organ donor dies. A common myth about being an organ donor is that physicians will not try to save an organ donor’s life so they can harvest the donor’s organs. This fear is unfounded; the doctors and surgeons that treat and operate on people to save lives are separate from the team of doctors that remove organs once a person has died. Another common fear is that the very wealthy get preferential treatment when they need a transplant. In actuality, organ

Text Box: donations are matched by specific requirements that decrease the chance a person will reject an organ they have received. Movie stars and millionaires must wait on the list with everyone else in need of a transplant, and only medical urgency can move someone up on that list. This makes sure that the organ distribution is fair and helps the people who will die soonest first. Minority communities suffer greatly from organ shortages because there is a lack of minority organ donors. Also, diseases that commonly cause the need for organ transplants affect certain ethnic groups at much higher rates than others. It is not absolutely necessary that a person receive an organ from someone of the same ethnicity, but it is more likely that a better match will come from a donor that is the same ethnicity. This is because there is an increased likelihood that two people with the same ethnic background will have more similar genes. Organ donation has been given the nickname “The Gift of Life” and for good reason. Signing an organ donation card will

Text Box: not decrease the quality of medical care you will receive should you ever need it, but it will help other people live if you die. One donor can’t save all 90,000 people waiting right now, but it’s a start, and if everyone in the United States signed up, then people dying on the waiting list would be a thing of the past. Signing up to become an organ donor is as simple as signing the back of your driver’s license. You should also talk with your family about your decision to become an organ donor, because they may be asked for permission to harvest your organs even if you have signed your license. Some states have donor registries that you may chose to sign up with, and the Department of Health and Human Services has a website with more information about becoming an organ donor. You can find their resources at www.organdonor.gov among which is a link to download a donor card. Signing and carrying this card will

The Hoopla on the Whooping Cough

Contributed by: Frank Wonka, Pharm.D. Candidate

KU School of Pharmacy

Text Box: Recently the media has reported on the fear of a “whooping cough” epidemic. But what exactly is “whooping cough”, and are health professionals concerned? Pertussis, better known as “whooping cough,” is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory tract. It is known for its characteristic coughing spasms and inspiratory “whooping” sound. This may be preceded by 1-2 weeks of “cold-like” symptoms and followed by 1-2 months of a dry, hacking cough. Pertussis kills 300,000 people annually (most of which are children and in developing countries). Current standards to contain the spread of the disease are to immunize all children and to treat all symptomatic people with recent direct contact to the diagnosed person.

Text Box: Pertussis is part of the childhood immunization schedule in the United States. Vaccination consists of 5 doses of DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis) by the age of 4-6 years old, with a booster of only DT at 11-12 years of age. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a report on 12/14/05 recommending this booster now be for DTaP, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has since also followed suit. It is thought that benefits to the immunized adolescents, along with the indirect benefits to those not immunized, will prove to be cost-effective. Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but still remains a large concern to health professionals in the country. And for a good reason. In 2004, cases were as high as they’ve been in half a decade; 25

Text Box: times what they were 30 years ago. These are alarming numbers, but by far, not an epidemic. Current prevention and treatment efforts should make our fears subside, for now. If you think you have had exposure to a person with whooping cough, please see your physician. For additional information, talk with your pharmacist, physician, or visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov/nip/diseases/pertussis/.