Anti-rejection Pills Not Necessary

In the Canada News Broadcast article titled “New technique could spare transplant patients from anti-rejection drugs,” the Associated Press reported on a new technique that may save patients who just received a organ transplant the hassle of needing to take anti-rejection drugs post-operation. Patients currently take these drugs to trick the body to accept the new transplanted organ.

The Associated Press reported that the treatment includes weakening the patient’s immune system after receiving the new organ. Then, the donor’s bone marrow is placed in the patient, allowing the patient’s immune system to better adjust to the foreign organ. The bone marrow’s stem cells would help new immune cells grow that do not try to kill the foreign organ. There is a then short time frame where the patient’s body has a “hybrid immune system,” meaning that the donor’s and patient’s immune systems are working together simultaneously. However, within five years, the patient will not need to take anti-rejection pills since the body will accept the new organ. In a preliminary test, four out of five patients were weaned of the anti-rejection pills.

The article cites the specific case of Derek Besenfelder who received a new kidney from his mother after born with a genetic kidney disease. Just eight months after the kidney and bone marrow transplant, Besenfelder did not need to take anti-rejection pills.

There are many currently problems with the current anti-rejection drugs. The Associate Press described how side effects include cancer, bloating, kidney failure, hair growth and tremors.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/01/24/immune2.html