As the organ shortage continues to grow, the creation of social media communities by transplant hospitals and the public is rapidly expanding to increase the number of living donors. Social media communities are arranged in myriad ways and without standardization, raising concerns about transplant candidates' and potential donors' autonomy and quality of care. Social media communities magnify and modify extant ethical issues in deceased and living donation related to privacy, confidentiality, professionalism, and informed consent, and increase the potential for undue influence and coercion for potential donors and transplant candidates. Currently, no national ethical guidelines have been developed in the United States regarding the use of social media to foster organ transplantation. We provide an ethical framework to guide transplant stakeholders in using social media for public and patient communication about transplantation and living donation, and offer recommendations for transplant clinical practice and future research.

No significant differences existed in psychological factors and QOL between patients whose ICDs were recalled compared with those whose devices were not. The majority of patients whose ICDs are the subject of an FDA advisory/recall have a realistic understanding of the risks of device failure. Prompt information, support, and reassurance provided by healthcare professionals may allay patient distress.

Organ transplantation is often a life-saving surgery for individuals with end-stage organ disease. However, for most types of solid organ transplant, the demand for organs outweighs the supply, resulting in the need to institute a waiting list for suitable patients who cannot immediately receive an organ. Individuals who need transplants must undergo an assessment process that includes medical, surgical, and psychosocial evaluations. The transplant psychosocial evaluation considers whether surgical candidates are able and willing to care for the transplanted organ for many years. The evaluation must also consider a number of psychosocial risk factors that can lead to complications, which may cause premature loss of the graft. Some of these risk factors include a history of poor medical adherence, psychopathology (including substance use disorders), poor social support, and cognitive dysfunction. This article briefly summarizes the assessment of each of these risk factors and how they can be mitigated to ensure the best outcomes for patients and their families.

Starting in 2015, the American Society of Transplantation Psychosocial Community of Practice, with representatives of the Transplant Pharmacy Community of Practice, convened a taskforce to develop a white paper that focused on clinically practical, evidenced-based interventions that transplant centers could implement to increase adherence to medication and behavioral recommendations in adult solid organ transplant recipients. The group focused on what centers could do in their daily routines to implement best practices to increase adherence in adult transplant recipients. We developed a list of strategies using available resources, clinically feasible methods of screening and tracking adherence, and activities that ultimately empower patients to improve their own self-management. We limited the target population to adults because they predominate the research, and because adherence issues differ in pediatric patients, given the necessary involvement of parents/guardians. We also examined broader multilevel areas for intervention including provider and transplant program practices. Ultimately, the task force aims to foster greater recognition, discussion, and solutions required for implementing practical interventions targeted at improving adherence.

No abstract