This article examines the place attributed to symbols and symbolic exchange in organ transplantation. In the first part, the paper studies the symbols thanks to which the Agence de la biomédecine endeavors to increasing the procurement rate through its exhortation policy. In the second part,...

Living donors are a significant and increasing source of livers for transplantation, mainly because of the insufficient supply of cadaveric organs. We consider the problem of optimally timing a living-donor liver transplant to maximize the patient's total reward, such as quality-adjusted life...

Since the first successful renal transplant in 1954, many kidney patients saw their hopes for a better future dashed by the continuous lack of donor kidneys. A regulated market for living donor kidneys has been proposed in order to match supply to demand and to stop illegal and immoral practices...

This case study discusses the economic, legal, and ethical considerations for conducting clinical trials in a controversial context. In 2010, pharmaceutical giant Roche received a shame award by the Swiss non-governmental organization Berne Declaration and Greenpeace for conducting clinical...

Issues concerning organ procurement and transplantation in the United States are described and related to the Canadian health care environment. Although the United States has a national organ procurement system and national transplant guidelines are in place, many complications exist regarding...

In this paper, we propose a location model for the optimal organization of transplant system. Instead of simulation approach, which is typical when facing many health care applications, our approach is distinctively based on a mathematical programming formulation of the relevant problem. In...

This article reflects on contributions from medical anthropology to our understanding of the bio-social and bio-political implications of renal transplantation. Taking up the idea of transplantation as a ‘complex’, a vast assemblage of people, places, practices and procedures which intersect...