Letter from the President

It is a mission of the ISODP to force and to promote and develop all aspects of organ and tissue donation and procurement. The ultimate goal is to increase supply of organs and to match the needs. The mission for the ISODP can be accomplished by focussing on:

• Societal attitudes and legislative requirements
• Perfecting the process of donation and procurement
• Ways of expanding the donor pool
• Measures to minimize donor organ injury
• The development and facilitation of educational programs
• Ethical matters related to organ and tissue donation and procurement

As being the president of the ISODP for the upcoming two years, it is my goal to go through to the steps of a strategic planning for our growing society which is now the biggest section of the TTS. In my view, the goal for the society, should not only be to rush from one meeting to the other but to get involved in development of organ donation in all parts of the world. Just by looking into the numbers of organ and tissue donors per million populations, there are enormous differences around the world. Countries and practitioners in the field need knowledge about experience of others. However there are other issues which are to be dealt with, therefore the ISODP is in the process of a strategic planning for the upcoming years. I urgently ask all members to answer the questionnaire which has been send around and which will give the basis for a discussion how to move on.

The 2009 Meeting of the ISODP was held in conjunction with the ETCO (European Transplant Coordinators Organisation) in Berlin and was visited by almost 800 people from more than 50 countries with the biggest foreign delegation from Russia with more than 90 attendees. Thanks to the work of the scientific committee and thanks to the invited speakers a terrific programme has been put together. Outstanding presentations dealing with all aspects of organ donation were given in Berlin. In front of an extremely interested audience the speakers filled the lecture halls all days long. The board of the ISODP is left with the impression that further discussions are necessary to answer questions and to continue to exchange opinion with experts around the world on issues like donor detection, donor management and specifically about safety aspects in organ donation.

Living donation is still an important topic in many parts of the world. So far there exist not too many initiatives in creating programmes on deceased donation in the Middle and Far East. It is a goal of the society to address problems and practices which are related to transplant tourism and paid donation. These violate the transplantation ethical codes; the Istanbul Declaration should be eased as soon as possible. ISODP and the leading members of the society are more than willing to help experts and countries to build up their own programmes on deceased donation.

This years ISODP conference results have been recorded with generous support from the TTS. Lectures will be online for members of the Society very soon. These will be giving an ideal opportunity to memorize, to look back and to learn.

The Berlin Conference was held in conjunction with the European Day Organ Donation and The World Day Organ Donation. For the first time ever this event was attended by more than 250.000 people in front of the Brandenburg Gate. They were all taking the opportunity to get information about organ and tissue donation, live donation and about all aspects for life pre- and post transplant. 18 patient associations in Europe were giving information, politicians and VIPs and patients from waiting lists, transplanted patients as well as donor relatives gave information around organ donation and moreover explained their personal view. Giving an example, create trust in the public and in the system of organ donation and transplantation. You can download pictures of this important event just to use them as an example of a true humanitarian act and stand in for each other.

During the board meeting of the ISODP in Berlin Dr. Anwar Naqvi from Pakistan has been elected as president / elect of the society. The board members discussed how to further intensify the work of the Society in all parts of the world. Howard Nathan as the former president was honoured as a man who moved the Society forward in the last years. His enormous efforts in the field have made the Society what it is today. The Board will go into further details of a strategic planning for the Society and inform all the members about decisions and about the event of the upcoming meeting 2011 before the end of this year. Looking forward to a very fruitful discussion and hoping for your input into the work of the Society. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly or via the office of the Transplantation Society – with suggestions, questions or concerns.

All the best for you

-I am an organ donor -

Günter Kirste
MD, PhD
Medical Director DSO
(Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation)
President of ISODP