Report of the Madrid Consultation Part 1: European and Universal Challenges in Organ Donation and Transplantation, Searching for Global Solutions

摘要

During the past 50 years, the transplantation of human organs, tissues, and cells has become a worldwide practice that has extended and greatly enhanced the quality of hundreds of thousands of lives. Transplantation is the best and most cost-effective treatment for end-stage kidney failure and remains the only available treatment for persons with end-stage failure of other solid organs. Continuous improvements in medical technology, particularly with respect to organ and tissue rejection, have led to increased demand for organs and tissues. Despite substantial expansion in organ donation from deceased persons in recent years and greater reliance on donation from living persons, the availability of organs and tissues for transplantation remains insufficient to meet demand.