Nov

Jan. 29, 2009.

The National Kidney Foundation launches "End the Wait!" initiative. For the first time, the NKF acknowledges living donors as part of their constituency and announced intent to form a Living Donor Council.

Jan. 6, 2009.

Rep. Joe Wilson (SC) has introduced HR218 to provide living donors a federal tax credit for donating "certain life-saving organs".

Dec. 22, 2008.

From the NY Post, an update on the living donor death, ascribed to the use of a recalled polymer clip.

Dec. 15, 2008.

Dr. Abhinav Humar has been named the clinical director of UPMC's Thomas Starzk Transplantation Institute. He currently serves as the medical director of the Liver and Living Donor Programs at the transplant center of University of Minnesota.

Dec. 3, 2008.

Illinois has moved to a 'first-person consent' program for organ donors.

Nov. 24, 2008.

A wife donating a kidney to her husband dies on the operating table at SUNY Downstate Hospital. Their transplant program has been closed indefinitely. (note: as of Dec 14, there is a lot of 'secrecy' surrounding this story. Also, many details in the news report are incorrect, although the most important aspect, a living donor died during surgery is absolutely true)

Nov. 21, 2008.

UPMC Transplant Center under fire for ironically, the very program they created, liver transplants. Since the original source article is the Wall Street Journal and they allow access for a short time, here are other related articles/blogs:

-Transplant Gone Wild

-An article from March 08 regarding Dr. Marcos' sudden resignation.

-From Associated Press: Review to address hospital's liver transplants.

Nov. 20, 2008.

Register for the January 29, 2008 UNOS sponsored Kidney Allocation Public Forum. In September, UNOS asked the public to review and give feedback on a number of possible new concepts for kidney allocation.