Lanterna Rally

Author: European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare

Publisher:

Published: 2016-09-07

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9789287182876

Transplant medicine and transplantation have progressed during the last decades in a way that nobody would have imagined before. The transplantation of organs offers major therapeutic benefits and improvements to quality of life and is, in many cases, the only life-saving treatment for end-stage organ failure. This new 6th Edition of the Guide collates updated information to provide professionals identifying organ donors, transplant co-ordinators managing the donation process and transplant physicians responsible for organ allocation and utilisation with a useful overview of the most recent advancements in the field. It is intended to provide easy-to-use information and guidance to all professionals involved in donation and transplantation of organs so as to maximise their quality and to minimise risks and, thereby, improve the success rate of transplants. The transplantation of organs offers major therapeutic benefits and improvements to quality of life and is, in many cases, the only life-saving treatment for end-stage organ failure. The most critical factor remains the supply of organs for transplantation, but only organs recovered following strict quality and safety standards are likely to function satisfactorily, and careful evaluation of donors is essential to minimise the risk of transmission of infections or malignancies. Furthermore, since human organs can currently only be derived from the body of a person, strong ethical principles need to be associated with their use. The Council of Europe approaches organ transplantation in compliance with the principles of non-commercialisation and voluntary donation of materials of human origin. This 6th Edition of the Guide to the quality and safety of organs for transplantation contains updated information on organ donation and transplantation to provide professionals identifying organ donors, transplant co-ordinators, managing the donation process and transplant physicians responsible for organ allocation and utilisation with a useful overview of the most recent advancements in the field. This will help them on a practical level by providing easy-to-use information at the bedside.