Does anyone know what organs we can donate since we have MS?

We aren't allowed to donate blood in Canada, and our organ transplant policies follow the same rules, effective December, 2007:

"We'll be asking about things like travel, history of infectious disease, whether they've [donors] been in jail — that puts you at increased risk," Nickerson (director of Transplant Manitoba) said. "Have they been an IV drug abuser in the past? Have they had tattoos? There's a whole list of questions we go through."

“They are also asked about the donor's sexual orientation. The donor will be excluded if the donor is a man who had sex with another man in the previous five years.

“. . . transplant programs must now by law interview family members of the donor as part of the screening process.”

“Transplant programs have been screening potential donors, but in some cases use organs from people in high-risk groups if they've tested negative for diseases. The new legislation means that practice must stop.”

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/...ransplant.html

On the other hand, we might benefit from someone else's organ in the future.

"ASHLEY HALL: Doctors in Sydney may have stumbled across the holy grail of transplant surgery.

A young liver transplant patient has taken on the immune system of her donor . . . The doctors aren't exactly sure how it happened, but they do see potential benefits for other transplant patients, as well as for sufferers of auto-immune diseases like multiple sclerosis and type-one diabetes . . ."

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2146056.htm

Cherie

Interesting thread. Thank you Doydie, and thanks also Cherie for your imput.

This excerpt from the link Cherie posted is certainly worth reprinting.
This was in our Australian newspapers as well (naturally), seeing the article was about something that happened here.

From.... http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2146056.htm

"....A young liver transplant patient has taken on the immune system of her donor, allowing her to stop taking potentially toxic anti-rejection drugs.

The doctors aren't exactly sure how it happened, but they do see potential benefits for other transplant patients, as well as for sufferers of auto-immune diseases like multiple sclerosis and type-one diabetes....."


Since this event there have been articles in our Ozzie newspapers about making organ donation compulsory.

I know from my readings that the US and Great Brittain have already broached that subject. It will be interesting to see what eventuates.

S-o-o-o-o in light of the following from Cherie's post.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady_express_44 ...We aren't allowed to donate blood in Canada, and our organ transplant policies follow the same rules, effective December, 2007:....Cherie

*What would happen if we had no choice?

*Would we MSers fall through these strict guidelines?

*Would they take our organs anyway once we'd passed on, even though they say that we're not suitable donors??

*OR.....do we need to have MS stamped on our wrists like prisoners from a war camp....or have some-one walk in front of us to ring a bell and cry out "Unclean....Unclean!" ?

Mmmm....a very interesting thread Doydie and I apologise for that bit of sarcasm.

Am looking forward to reading other posts about the subject.

doydie OMG I never thought about this and I've been a organ donor since I was a teenager. I would love to know the answer.

I'm not sure why that first link I posted isn't working for me this morning, but here's the article in it's entirety:

Sexually active gay men no longer allowed to donate organs

Last Updated: Monday, January 7, 2008 | 10:08 PM ET
CBC News

A number of organ donation groups said Monday that they are unaware of new Health Canada regulations that mean sexually active gay men, injection drug users and other groups considered high risk will no longer be accepted as organ donors.

The new rules, which came into effect in December, are similar to the regulations for determining who can donate blood. Those rules exclude groups that are at high risk of transmitting infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C and B.

Dr. Gary Levy, who heads Canada's largest organ transplant program at Toronto's University Health Network, said he was unaware of the new policy on organ donations.

(CBC) Officials at several transplant programs in the country said because they were unaware of the new regulations, they would continue to consider all potential donor organs.

"We have not been informed, first of all, that Health Canada is considering this," said Dr. Gary Levy, who heads Canada's largest organ transplant program at Toronto's University Health Network. "Obviously if Health Canada wishes to discuss that, we would hope they would engage all stakeholders."

Dr. Peter Nickerson, director of Transplant Manitoba, which procures organs in that province, said transplant programs must now by law interview family members of the donor as part of the screening process.

"We'll be asking about things like travel, history of infectious disease, whether they've [donors] been in jail — that puts you at increased risk," Nickerson said. "Have they been an IV drug abuser in the past? Have they had tattoos? There's a whole list of questions we go through."

They are also asked about the donor's sexual orientation. The donor will be excluded if the donor is a man who had sex with another man in the previous five years.

Health Canada had contracted the Canadian Standards Association in 2003 to come up with standardized guidelines to ensure the safety of the organ donation system.

Transplant programs have been screening potential donors, but in some cases use organs from people in high-risk groups if they've tested negative for diseases. The new legislation means that practice must stop.

A spokeswoman for Health Canada confirmed the new regulations in an e-mail, but the department didn't make anyone available to explain the changes.

Focus should be on behaviour: gay activist
Levy said organ donors shouldn't be held to the same high standards as blood donors because the stakes for the organ recipient are higher.

"Organ donation and the opportunity to save a life at a specific time — we have no substitute therapies," Levy said.

Levy estimates that out of 100 organ donors at his Toronto hospital every year, about seven will be rejected because of the new regulations. About 4,000 Canadians are waiting for an organ transplant.

Some in the gay community complained that the new policy is wrong-headed and that Health Canada should focus on risky sexual behaviours, not sexual orientation.

"I think it's more of an issue of **** sex, **** intercourse, than it is to do with whether someone is gay or straight," said Dean Robinson, a gay activist.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/...ransplant.html

Cherie

You bring up some valid points, Koala.

I know the UK has been contemplating a "opt-out" system, whereby consent is automatically presumed when someone dies, i.e. no need to sign a organ donor card. Personally, I think they are playing with fire if they go this route and I would be surprised if they ever end up with a "hard" opt-out system (no discussion what-so-ever with family).

Besides the fact that they might not want our MS-infested organs in case we inadvertantly pass on our immune system (this has occurred in the US too, apparently), they don't even know what causes MS yet. For all we know, it may be a virus or bacteria, combined with a certain genetic make-up (and/or other environmental factors), that might transfer to others.

I was an organ and blood donor up till 1991 when I was dx. I pulled my card then because until they know the CAUSE of MS, I don't want to take any unnecessary chances in passing it on.

Cherie