hi everyone I’m going to speak on solving the organ shortage the United
solving the organ shortage the United
solving the organ shortage the United States has a very severe organ shortage
States has a very severe organ shortage
States has a very severe organ shortage approximately one American dies every
approximately one American dies every
approximately one American dies every hour because I can’t get a life-saving
hour because I can’t get a life-saving
hour because I can’t get a life-saving transplant historically the United
transplant historically the United
transplant historically the United States has emphasized deceased organ
States has emphasized deceased organ
States has emphasized deceased organ donation as a way to solve the organ
donation as a way to solve the organ
donation as a way to solve the organ shortage
shortage
shortage unfortunately that strategy has failed
unfortunately that strategy has failed
unfortunately that strategy has failed as you can see by this graph back in
as you can see by this graph back in
as you can see by this graph back in 1990 it looked like we might be able to
1990 it looked like we might be able to
1990 it looked like we might be able to solve the organ shortage with organs
solve the organ shortage with organs
solve the organ shortage with organs from the recently deceased but today
from the recently deceased but today
from the recently deceased but today even if every American agreed to be an
even if every American agreed to be an
even if every American agreed to be an organ donor when they died we wouldn’t
organ donor when they died we wouldn’t
organ donor when they died we wouldn’t have anywhere enough organs to solve the
have anywhere enough organs to solve the
have anywhere enough organs to solve the organ shortage so in recent years US
organ shortage so in recent years US
organ shortage so in recent years US policymakers have started to think about
policymakers have started to think about
policymakers have started to think about living organ donors as a way to fill the
living organ donors as a way to fill the
living organ donors as a way to fill the gap in principle that is a good idea but
gap in principle that is a good idea but
gap in principle that is a good idea but we need to go about it the right way
we need to go about it the right way
we need to go about it the right way encouraging people to donate by
encouraging people to donate by
encouraging people to donate by promising them money or promising them
promising them money or promising them
promising them money or promising them perks or by creating educational
perks or by creating educational
perks or by creating educational campaigns that imply that people will
campaigns that imply that people will
campaigns that imply that people will feel better about themselves if they
feel better about themselves if they
feel better about themselves if they become living organ donors is the wrong
become living organ donors is the wrong
become living organ donors is the wrong way that’s because it borders on
way that’s because it borders on
way that’s because it borders on unethical to tempt people to participate
unethical to tempt people to participate
unethical to tempt people to participate in a broken system the problem is we
in a broken system the problem is we
in a broken system the problem is we have something like a conspiracy of
have something like a conspiracy of
have something like a conspiracy of silence going on the medical community
silence going on the medical community
silence going on the medical community the media and even living organ donors
the media and even living organ donors
the media and even living organ donors themselves tend to describe the ideal
themselves tend to describe the ideal
themselves tend to describe the ideal donor experience because they don’t want
donor experience because they don’t want
donor experience because they don’t want to discourage people from donating but
to discourage people from donating but
to discourage people from donating but by doing that they create an atmosphere
by doing that they create an atmosphere
by doing that they create an atmosphere where policies are geared towards the
where policies are geared towards the
where policies are geared towards the ideal scenario and living organ donors
ideal scenario and living organ donors
ideal scenario and living organ donors aren’t prepared
aren’t prepared
aren’t prepared when things don’t go as expected I’m
when things don’t go as expected I’m
when things don’t go as expected I’m going to focus on kidney donation
going to focus on kidney donation
going to focus on kidney donation because most living organ donors are
because most living organ donors are
because most living organ donors are giving up one of their two kidneys to
giving up one of their two kidneys to
giving up one of their two kidneys to save the life of another person so what
save the life of another person so what
save the life of another person so what might be a bad scenario bad policy
might be a bad scenario bad policy
might be a bad scenario bad policy well telling potential kidney donors
well telling potential kidney donors
well telling potential kidney donors that they can be back at work within 30
that they can be back at work within 30
that they can be back at work within 30 days would be a bad idea because it’s
days would be a bad idea because it’s
days would be a bad idea because it’s really only true about the ideal donor
really only true about the ideal donor
really only true about the ideal donor someone who is young and healthy who has
someone who is young and healthy who has
someone who is young and healthy who has a desk job who doesn’t have to do any
a desk job who doesn’t have to do any
a desk job who doesn’t have to do any heavy lifting at work or at home who
heavy lifting at work or at home who
heavy lifting at work or at home who doesn’t Drive large distances and who is
doesn’t Drive large distances and who is
doesn’t Drive large distances and who is not one of the kidney donors who has a 5
not one of the kidney donors who has a 5
not one of the kidney donors who has a 5 to 10 percent chance of having a
to 10 percent chance of having a
to 10 percent chance of having a complication that doesn’t resolve within
complication that doesn’t resolve within
complication that doesn’t resolve within 30 days so if you’re not that ideal
30 days so if you’re not that ideal
30 days so if you’re not that ideal donor you might be out of work for 60 or
donor you might be out of work for 60 or
donor you might be out of work for 60 or 90 days or longer this wouldn’t be so
90 days or longer this wouldn’t be so
90 days or longer this wouldn’t be so bad except most kidney donors have to
bad except most kidney donors have to
bad except most kidney donors have to take unpaid leave and are using up their
take unpaid leave and are using up their
take unpaid leave and are using up their savings and going into debt expecting to
savings and going into debt expecting to
savings and going into debt expecting to be back at work in a month so when one
be back at work in a month so when one
be back at work in a month so when one month becomes two months or three months
month becomes two months or three months
month becomes two months or three months or longer and my goodness if there are
or longer and my goodness if there are
or longer and my goodness if there are medical bills on top of it all it can
medical bills on top of it all it can
medical bills on top of it all it can mean financial disaster the way it is
mean financial disaster the way it is
mean financial disaster the way it is supposed to work with medical bills is
supposed to work with medical bills is
supposed to work with medical bills is that the insurance company for the
that the insurance company for the
that the insurance company for the person who is getting the life-saving
person who is getting the life-saving
person who is getting the life-saving organ is supposed to pay all donation
organ is supposed to pay all donation
organ is supposed to pay all donation related medical bills but sometimes they
related medical bills but sometimes they
related medical bills but sometimes they deny coverage and sometimes the donors
deny coverage and sometimes the donors
deny coverage and sometimes the donors own insurance also denies coverage
own insurance also denies coverage
own insurance also denies coverage claiming that living organ donation is
claiming that living organ donation is
claiming that living organ donation is elective surgery so while the insurance
elective surgery so while the insurance
elective surgery so while the insurance companies Duke it out the donor is
companies Duke it out the donor is
companies Duke it out the donor is with the bills I volunteer for the
with the bills I volunteer for the
with the bills I volunteer for the American living organ donor fund and I
American living organ donor fund and I
American living organ donor fund and I have seen a kidney donor end up homeless
have seen a kidney donor end up homeless
have seen a kidney donor end up homeless on the street because of medical bills
on the street because of medical bills
on the street because of medical bills we do everything we can to help donors
we do everything we can to help donors
we do everything we can to help donors find financial assistance including the
find financial assistance including the
find financial assistance including the federal program that helps with travel
federal program that helps with travel
federal program that helps with travel and lodging and other charities that
and lodging and other charities that
and lodging and other charities that help with post donation expenses but
help with post donation expenses but
help with post donation expenses but still we only have enough funding to
still we only have enough funding to
still we only have enough funding to help maybe one in ten of the donors who
help maybe one in ten of the donors who
help maybe one in ten of the donors who come to us for assistance an important
come to us for assistance an important
come to us for assistance an important measure of success for any transplant
measure of success for any transplant
measure of success for any transplant policy is a number of organs made
policy is a number of organs made
policy is a number of organs made available for transplant but when you’re
available for transplant but when you’re
available for transplant but when you’re talking about living organ donors you
talking about living organ donors you
talking about living organ donors you must also consider the donors and their
must also consider the donors and their
must also consider the donors and their well-being three years ago I did a TED
well-being three years ago I did a TED
well-being three years ago I did a TED med talk on paid kidney donation in Iran
med talk on paid kidney donation in Iran
med talk on paid kidney donation in Iran I went to Iran because Iran was the only
I went to Iran because Iran was the only
I went to Iran because Iran was the only country in the world claiming to have
country in the world claiming to have
country in the world claiming to have solved its kidney shortage remember how
solved its kidney shortage remember how
solved its kidney shortage remember how in the u.s. almost one person is dying
in the u.s. almost one person is dying
in the u.s. almost one person is dying every hour
every hour
every hour well Iran claimed that it had no waiting
well Iran claimed that it had no waiting
well Iran claimed that it had no waiting list and no one dying so I went to Iran
list and no one dying so I went to Iran
list and no one dying so I went to Iran but unfortunately I found a lot of
but unfortunately I found a lot of
but unfortunately I found a lot of unhappy kidney donors but in one city
unhappy kidney donors but in one city
unhappy kidney donors but in one city Isfahan the donors seemed to be happier
Isfahan the donors seemed to be happier
Isfahan the donors seemed to be happier than elsewhere in Isfahan
than elsewhere in Isfahan
than elsewhere in Isfahan donors received extra health insurance
donors received extra health insurance
donors received extra health insurance job services non interest loans and
job services non interest loans and
job services non interest loans and other donation related benefits so I
other donation related benefits so I
other donation related benefits so I ended my TEDMED by saying we need to
ended my TEDMED by saying we need to
ended my TEDMED by saying we need to take a closer look at places like
take a closer look at places like
take a closer look at places like Isfahan where the Iranian system seems
Isfahan where the Iranian system seems
Isfahan where the Iranian system seems to be working for donors and try to
to be working for donors and try to
to be working for donors and try to parse the good from the bad after my
parse the good from the bad after my
parse the good from the bad after my TEDMED Mike Mittleman and I started the
TEDMED Mike Mittleman and I started the
TEDMED Mike Mittleman and I started the American living organ donor fund and as
American living organ donor fund and as
American living organ donor fund and as I got to know us organ donors
I got to know us organ donors
I got to know us organ donors better I started to argue that we need
better I started to argue that we need
better I started to argue that we need to do right by these good people whether
to do right by these good people whether
to do right by these good people whether it increases the number of organs for
it increases the number of organs for
it increases the number of organs for transplants or not it’s simply wrong to
transplants or not it’s simply wrong to
transplants or not it’s simply wrong to abandon living organ donors when things
abandon living organ donors when things
abandon living organ donors when things go wrong because of their organ donation
go wrong because of their organ donation
go wrong because of their organ donation now imagine my excitement when I learned
now imagine my excitement when I learned
now imagine my excitement when I learned that the Netherlands is now
that the Netherlands is now
that the Netherlands is now outperforming Iran in its living organ
outperforming Iran in its living organ
outperforming Iran in its living organ donor program by doing exactly what US
donor program by doing exactly what US
donor program by doing exactly what US organ donors have been telling me they
organ donors have been telling me they
organ donors have been telling me they need if the organ recipients insurance
need if the organ recipients insurance
need if the organ recipients insurance doesn’t pay the donors has to donors are
doesn’t pay the donors has to donors are
doesn’t pay the donors has to donors are guaranteed their jobs back now remember
guaranteed their jobs back now remember
guaranteed their jobs back now remember these are all things that don’t exist in
these are all things that don’t exist in
these are all things that don’t exist in the United States okay so donors are
the United States okay so donors are
the United States okay so donors are guaranteed their jobs back donors get
guaranteed their jobs back donors get
guaranteed their jobs back donors get paid leave as much as they need and
paid leave as much as they need and
paid leave as much as they need and there is a government program that helps
there is a government program that helps
there is a government program that helps with donation related expenses like
with donation related expenses like
with donation related expenses like travel babysitting and even extra
travel babysitting and even extra
travel babysitting and even extra psychological counseling so now I say
psychological counseling so now I say
psychological counseling so now I say forget Iran how can we be more like the
forget Iran how can we be more like the
forget Iran how can we be more like the Netherlands well we can start by passing
Netherlands well we can start by passing
Netherlands well we can start by passing a law that prohibits insurance companies
a law that prohibits insurance companies
a law that prohibits insurance companies from treating living organ donation as
from treating living organ donation as
from treating living organ donation as elective surgery that way if an organ
elective surgery that way if an organ
elective surgery that way if an organ recipients insurance doesn’t pay the
recipients insurance doesn’t pay the
recipients insurance doesn’t pay the donors will have to another option would
donors will have to another option would
donors will have to another option would be to find a private insurance product
be to find a private insurance product
be to find a private insurance product that protects living organ donors when
that protects living organ donors when
that protects living organ donors when things don’t go as expected there are a
things don’t go as expected there are a
things don’t go as expected there are a few policies out there intended for
few policies out there intended for
few policies out there intended for living organ donors but unfortunately
living organ donors but unfortunately
living organ donors but unfortunately they are all woefully inadequate that
they are all woefully inadequate that
they are all woefully inadequate that doesn’t mean some enterprising company
doesn’t mean some enterprising company
doesn’t mean some enterprising company couldn’t come up with a worthwhile
couldn’t come up with a worthwhile
couldn’t come up with a worthwhile product it just means one doesn’t exist
product it just means one doesn’t exist
product it just means one doesn’t exist yet third we could put all living organ
yet third we could put all living organ
yet third we could put all living organ donors on Medicare this isn’t as
donors on Medicare this isn’t as
donors on Medicare this isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem
far-fetched as it may seem
far-fetched as it may seem Medicare is already pay
Medicare is already pay
Medicare is already pay mean for most donation surgeries and
mean for most donation surgeries and
mean for most donation surgeries and donor complications because the people
donor complications because the people
donor complications because the people getting the organs are on Medicare so if
getting the organs are on Medicare so if
getting the organs are on Medicare so if Medicare covered all of the donors
Medicare covered all of the donors
Medicare covered all of the donors healthcare instead of just the donation
healthcare instead of just the donation
healthcare instead of just the donation related medical expenses that would be
related medical expenses that would be
related medical expenses that would be one way to avoid the is this covered
one way to avoid the is this covered
one way to avoid the is this covered problem if we put donors on Medicare for
problem if we put donors on Medicare for
problem if we put donors on Medicare for one or two years that would be like Iran
one or two years that would be like Iran
one or two years that would be like Iran if we put them on Medicare for life that
if we put them on Medicare for life that
if we put them on Medicare for life that would be like the Netherlands since
would be like the Netherlands since
would be like the Netherlands since living organ donation has both potential
living organ donation has both potential
living organ donation has both potential short-term and potential long-term
short-term and potential long-term
short-term and potential long-term complications it would provide more
complications it would provide more
complications it would provide more security for living organ donors if they
security for living organ donors if they
security for living organ donors if they received healthcare for life
received healthcare for life
received healthcare for life finally we could create a federal fund
finally we could create a federal fund
finally we could create a federal fund that helps with medical expenses we have
that helps with medical expenses we have
that helps with medical expenses we have such a fund for people who suffer from
such a fund for people who suffer from
such a fund for people who suffer from vaccine complications we could do the
vaccine complications we could do the
vaccine complications we could do the same kind of thing for living organ
same kind of thing for living organ
same kind of thing for living organ donors but whatever we do whether the
donors but whatever we do whether the
donors but whatever we do whether the solution is a combination of these ideas
solution is a combination of these ideas
solution is a combination of these ideas or something different we need to
or something different we need to
or something different we need to acknowledge that the current system is
acknowledge that the current system is
acknowledge that the current system is broken we need to stop denying that
broken we need to stop denying that
broken we need to stop denying that things aren’t going well for living
things aren’t going well for living
things aren’t going well for living organ donors and start focusing on
organ donors and start focusing on
organ donors and start focusing on fixing the situation as the Netherlands
fixing the situation as the Netherlands
fixing the situation as the Netherlands has shown we don’t need to entice
has shown we don’t need to entice
has shown we don’t need to entice Americans to donate to solve our organ
Americans to donate to solve our organ
Americans to donate to solve our organ shortage we just need to treat them
shortage we just need to treat them
shortage we just need to treat them fairly
”
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