Post

The Washington Post
@washingtonpost.com

People with HIV will be able to receive kidney or liver transplants from donors who also have HIV, federal health officials announced Tuesday. The landmark move, which takes effect Wednesday, is expected to shorten wait times for organs for all patients.

washingtonpost.comU.S. okays organ transplants between people with HIV, expanding donor poolThe landmark move is expected to shorten wait times for organs for all patients and reduce hurdles to life-saving care for those with HIV.

1.4K reposts15.6K likes

Chunk
@chunkwrites.bsky.social

Honestly just thinking if you were near the end waiting for a transplant does being willing to get HIV get you an organ faster? Is that already a thing where people can be like gimme 10 more years with HIV over immediate death? What a question, anyways this is a good idea.

Zower, Phil ☮4🇺🇦
@philzower.bsky.social

Unfortunately it is rare and, I believe, only shows up in Northern European populations. Even with that, you need the same mutation from both parents to have immunity. People like me who only got it from one parent are "slow progressors" who can still be infected, but it takes longer for symptoms.

Daisy621
@daisy621.bsky.social

Outstanding. As a kidney recipient myself, I am well aware of the challenge we face in obtaining a new organ. Some of the rules are real obstacles, with little medical benefit. Seven people die every day in theUS, waiting for an organ transplant.

Chill Coworker
@adam-gray.bsky.social

Let's celebrate this incredible progress and continue to fight for a future where everyone has equal access to healthcare and a chance to thrive. #HIV #LGBTQIA #OrganTransplant #HealthcareEquality #Progress

Migno chrono
@migno.catzone.cloud

...I'm fully ignorant about the topic. But can this backfire? Like... mixing strains of the virus? I really hope this helps people with the specific situation. I can't imagine being in that position,just genuinely curious

Migno chrono
@migno.catzone.cloud

I admit my limited knowledge,I have heard stories of diseases combining and becoming more deadly but what exactly does that entail? I would need to be more educated on biology to grasp

Migno chrono
@migno.catzone.cloud

I heard about it before,I was donating plasma,and they asked me if I had engaged on homosexual sex...after they had already tested for STDs. And I was told gay men had a higher chance to get HIV. Seemed silly though, because they already know I was healthy

Myles Helfand
@myhelfy.bsky.social

Part of the reason this got OK'd is that superinfection is extremely uncommon in these scenarios; one study found a single *possible* case of superinfection over a four-year span, and even that had no clinical consequences. Superinfection also doesn't happen in folks on effective HIV treatment

Amy
@amodernfairytale.bsky.social

Thanks so much for the clarification, that’s great to hear! Clearly what I’d read is outdated, it’s fantastic to hear there’s been a lot more progress and studies on it than I was aware. Y’all do good work at The Body.

Myles Helfand
@myhelfy.bsky.social

Yeah, it's kind of amazing how far the science has come in just the past handful of years. Most media outlets haven't followed suit -- but they've probably been busy looking elsewhere. 😏 Thank you super much for your very kind words! ❤️

Casper
@fullradius.bsky.social

I guess I am ignorant because this is such a no brainer I don’t understand why they weren’t already doing it. I’m glad to hear many lives will be improved!

Conn Ruszkowski
@highlander95.bsky.social

People here do of course realise heterosexual people get HIV too right? Come on, peeps, this is the 21st—what am I saying, this is the backward century where progress is being undone by bigots and fashies, Bon voyage the lot of you, and take your barrels of homophobic sewage out with you!!!

Singcat
@singcat.eurosky.social

Honestly, now that the whole donation system is fully digitalised, why shouldn't donors and receivers have at least the possibility to be "matched" for HIV and other diseases (and possibly also medications?), provided the donor is well enough to give?

Zower, Phil ☮4🇺🇦
@philzower.bsky.social

HIV is a blood infection and there is still blood in the transplanted organ. Not very much, but it's enough to cause infection. But if both parties are HIV+, especially if already on meds for it, the risk of kidney failure outweighs getting another strain of the virus.

Quasar
@quasarj.bsky.social

How would this shorten wait times for anyone else? Also, they already do this with a number of other incurable infections.. makes sense to extend it to HIV.

sarcasticlee.bsky.social
@sarcasticlee.bsky.social

The issue there is taking a healthy organ (which many die waiting for) and giving it to someone with a reduced lifespan. You can’t get an organ if you drink, or haven’t responded to vaccinations, or any of dozens of other things that would limit its use. Over 65? None for you.

sarcasticlee.bsky.social
@sarcasticlee.bsky.social

It’s not being mean so much as recognizing you can’t save everyone, or even most, and trying to maximize the effect of what you can do with the organs you have. If Patient A is expected to get 6 years of healthy life from it, and Patient B 15, Patient B gets it.

Evan R Newton
@urvurm.bsky.social

This is awesome! I know there could be issues in the past when antiretrovirals weren’t as effective, but this is well past due by now. Progress is slow but it does happen 💙

charltonwilson.bsky.social
@charltonwilson.bsky.social

i do not know what % of the nation has HIV, i am certain is far higher than we know.... but there should ALSO be a BLOOD BANK for HIV folks. at this time folks with HIV or possible exposure (VIS A VIS GAY MEN) are NOT allowed to donate blood or plasma. that's just STUPID. (from the cis het ally guy)

Paksarra
@paksarra.bsky.social

The more you comment, the more the system will think you like seeing them and similar content. If you don't want to see it, blocking or muting is far more effective than commenting.

Meorami
@meorami.bsky.social

Unsettling fact: as an organ donor, at any given time there are people and religious groups actively praying for your demise so aunt Ginny can get a new ticker.

andymke.bsky.social
@andymke.bsky.social

I was young when AIDS and HIV were a death sentence, and a genocide for the gay community. To see this evolution is one of the most positive and remarkable developments in my life time. Thank you, scientists!

100% Certified
@rawunfilteredhoney.bsky.social

Ok great, now how about we find ways of adding people back onto blood donor lists like me who only ever had one false-positive HIV pre-screen test almost a decade ago, and who have since then taken a full HIV test right away and one every year after that, who now has eight negative HIV test results?

Derek Mulready 🇮🇪🇪🇺
@dpp7541.bsky.social

I would not Trust any American medical practice. From unscreened Blood Products gave the world Hepatitis B Viruses. Hospitals worldwide gave blood transfusions from blood products sourced from American Medically approved Companies. 🇮🇪🇪🇺

Zower, Phil ☮4🇺🇦
@philzower.bsky.social

No reliable biologist supports his idea. He's like a climate scientist who denies climate change. This kind of misinformation about HIV only leads to more infections. It's sad to see someone like Duesberg who's too stubborn to admit to being wrong.

Jack Sprat
@jacksprat39.bsky.social

Thank you, Joe Biden and Democrats. This may be the last rational move in medicine before the motherfucker and his gestapo turn American government into an insane asylum run by the lunatic inmates.

Cubones
@thecubones.bsky.social

Aftercare for transplant recipients involves them taking immunosuppressants. HIV is a virus that attacks your immune cells. I imagine there were genuine concerns from a medical standpoint, as well as a legal one.

GG
@gracegallo.bsky.social

Hello! We needed research studies to make sure these transplants would be safe. There were concerns like higher rates of organ rejection or HIV superinfections. People on liver/kidney transplant lists are already very ill, so this could have been life threatening.

mady castigan✨ 🏳️‍⚧️
@mady.cat

There's a ton of HIV regulations that make no sense because they were enacted due to fear and bigotry rather than medical science or common sense. It was only recently that blood donation was gated based on the type and riskiness of your sexual activity, rather than who you have sex with.

Thony
@thony3.bsky.social

Unfortunately, this will be overturned in about two months. Fascists don't help people, especially those they don't like. They go out of their way to hurt.

beebostands.bsky.social
@beebostands.bsky.social

This must also reverse the ethics surrounding organ transplants for people struggling with addiction as well,no? People can't control the neurochemistry theyre born with. If not its complete DISCRIMINATION. I guess the difference is HIV patients pay big pharma to die, and addicts pay EL CHAPO.

BkMama: She/her
@bkmama227.bsky.social

There must be strict protocols to avoid accidents. Too often patients have wrong procedures mistakenly performed. Patients also should take responsibility for whatever procedures they are going to have and educate themselves, their family members, and/or advocate to ensure proper outcomes.

Zower, Phil ☮4🇺🇦
@philzower.bsky.social

After reading the 200+ comments so far, I am surprised by how much misinformation there is out there still about HIV/AIDS. Though I guess I shouldn't be after seeing how people in the US responded to COVID precautions. It's a battle not yet won.