Drug Treatment San Jose - Can Drug Addicts Donate Their Organs After Death?

The epidemic of drug overdose deaths in the United States is a silver lining as it has increased the number of organ donors across the globe.

During the first eight months of 2016, approximately 791 organ donors died due to intoxication caused by the drugs. However, drug deaths have increased at a steady rate since 1994.

Traditionally, drug addicts are considered “high risk” donors as most of them carry fatal infections like HIV Aids or hepatitis C. However, there has been a considerable change in thinking about these donors for the past few years.

In many situations, people who die from drug overdose tend to be younger and have a good health. This makes them a suitable candidate for donating the organs. The patients who are in need of an organ transplant are offered an organ from a donor who is considered “high risk”. However, it completely depends on the decision if they wish to decline the offer. Moreover, one does not lose their place on the waiting list. The specialized team for drug treatment San Jose helps to provide with aid to the drug addicts as much as they can.

In 2013, the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act reversed the ban on people with HIV donating their organs. Therefore, in 2016, John Hopkins Medicine became the first hospital in the United States to perform HIV-positive to HIV-positive organ transplant which went successfully. A multidisciplinary team from this hospital performed this surgery as soon as the suitable organs and recipients became available.

Although, the possibilities in organ donation have rapidly increased, however, the need for organs continues to exceed the availability. In the United States, almost 120,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Due to this reason, an average of 20 people on the waiting list die every day and after every 10 minutes, a new patient is added to the list.

Alexandra Glazier from an organ bank in New England says that for many of the patients dying on the wait list and not receiving an organ is a bigger risk than the possibility of the transmission of a disease.

Although, there is still risk involved in the organ transplant, however, a sense of danger can help save someone’s life.