What We Don't Know When We Check the Box

The system behind the gift of an organ

It’s easy to check the organ donor box on your driver’s license without thinking too much about how organs are treated and routed to people who need them. NYT investigative reporter Brian Rosenthal thoroughly examined the system. His complicated findings have led to congressional inquiry and meaningful progress. This is a conversation about where the system fell short, what his reporting changed, and what still needs work.

Outside of politics, Sarah is turning 45 today and has a project to celebrate this milestone that will take her up to age 50.

Topics Discussed

• How the organ transplant system actually works (it’s not really a list)

• Why doctors can refuse organs offered to their patients — and patients are never told

• What federal pressure on organ procurement organizations produced in Kentucky

• How the priority list was being bypassed 20% of the time — and why time pressure wasn’t actually the reason

• Wealthy foreign nationals getting faster organ access at certain U.S. hospitals

• What’s changed since Brian’s reporting and what reforms are now in place

• The future of organ donation: animal organs, AI matching, printed organs

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Episode Resources

• Federal investigation into organ donation safety and the Kentucky OPO (New York Times)

• How organ procurement organizations bypass the transplant waiting list (New York Times)

• How paired organ donation works through the National Kidney Registry (New York Times)

• Wealthy foreign nationals receiving organ transplants at U.S. hospitals (New York Times)

Episode Transcript

Coming soon…

Show Credits

Pantsuit Politics is hosted by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers. The show is produced by Studio D Podcast Production.

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