33 suspected adverse events relating to transplant process

There were 33 reports of suspected adverse reactions/events associated with the organ transplantation process between 1 January 2019 and 19 February 2021, according to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

“These included reports indicating organ retrieval had not been feasible, or where procedures were cancelled; cases describing possible transmission of disease; delayed graft function, and possible contamination, together with some issues occurring at different stages of the transplant process, including procurement, retrieval, handling, transport, labelling, and communication,” stated a response from the HPRA following a Freedom of Information request.
The HPRA declined to provide a breakdown of the information citing the risk of “inadvertently identifying
an individual”.

According to information published by the HPRA, the use of organs for transplantation “demands that their quality and safety should be such as to minimise any risks associated with the transmission of diseases”.

“Hospitals, including procurement organisations and transplantation centres, that perform any activity associated with the donation, testing, characterisation, procurement, preservation, transport or transplantation of organs intended for transplantation to the human body, fall within the scope of the organs legislation.”

The HPRA shares responsibility for implementation of this legislation with HSE Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland.
In 2019, the five-year average of transplants conducted per year was 276. Last year, only 190 transplants took place due to issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.