If you attended AST's Cutting Edge of Transplantation (CEOT) 2016, I’m glad you were a part of the record number of attendees we welcomed to the Arizona Biltmore this past February. During nearly 30 hours of sessions over three days, you had the chance to work with fellow transplantation professionals to explore the history behind the organ shortage and discuss how to address these issues moving forward. Anil Chandraker’s blog post highlights the science of CEOT, and now...

To conclude our three-part blog series on how the AST and its members are working to mitigate racial disparities in transplantation, I have invited AST member Tanjala Purnell to summarize her recent study of trends in kidney transplant outcomes among black recipients. Overall, her findings give reason for optimism, as her data show that traditionally underserved populations are indeed gaining ground as outcomes for recipients of all races steadily improve. No doubt more work needs to be done in the area; the AST remains committed toward reaching our strategic goal of seeing all...

Disparities in access to health care and variations in utilization of services due to race and/or socioeconomic status remain an unfortunate reality in today’s society. The AST’s core purpose reads, "Improving human life by advancing the field of transplantation." This statement is a tagline that the AST has used for over a decade. What is important to notice is that our mission is to improve human life. Our mission is not to improve some human lives while ignoring others. It is therefore essential that the AST provides leadership directed toward resolving these issues, which are often...

Currently, transplantation remains one of the most regulated areas of health care. A variety of groups, from payors to UNOS to CMS, have policies that ostensibly encourage the highest quality of patient care. However, these policies do not always align with each other or with the best interests of patients. I have invited my colleague Dr. Jesse Schold to share his thoughts on the current state of transplantation policies.

Jesse Schold, PhD, AST Board Member

Recently, Dr. Allan blogged about timely and important...