Challenges to research and innovation to optimize deceased donor organ quality and quantity

Area of Science:

• Transplantation immunology
• Organ preservation
• Clinical trial design

Background:

• The demand for solid organ transplants significantly exceeds the available donor organ supply, leading to long waitlists.
• Preclinical research indicates that interventions in deceased donors can potentially enhance organ quantity and quality for transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and discuss the obstacles hindering research in deceased donor intervention.
• To advocate for a multidisciplinary framework to facilitate innovative clinical trials focused on improving deceased donor organs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on deceased donor management and clinical trial challenges.
• Analysis of regulatory and ethical considerations in deceased donor research.
• Synthesis of potential solutions for facilitating multi-center randomized-controlled trials.

Main Results:

• Significant logistical, regulatory, and ethical challenges impede the execution of high-quality research in deceased organ donors.
• Current research frameworks are insufficient to address the complexities of donor intervention trials.

Conclusions:

• A coordinated, multidisciplinary framework is essential to overcome research barriers.
• Facilitating innovative trials is crucial to increase the availability and quality of deceased donor organs for transplantation.