Transplant Patients Become Victims of Tainted Tissues

For years, the tissue and organ donation industry has gone unregulated, and this, unfortunately has lead to the illegal use of body tissues among the transplant community. This could potentially lead to the contraction of infectious tissues in individuals.

In fact, the FDA recently shut down Biomedical Tissue Services, a tissue recovery company accused of gross negligence and malpractice in its harvesting and distribution of tissues that may have been infected. If you're in need of a tissue transplant (common body transplants include bone marrow, ligaments, skin and other tissues), protect yourself against tainted tissues. Here's how: Seek Information If you are in line for a human body tissue transplant, it's not a good time to be dishonest with your doctor.

Now's your chance to ask vital questions about the human body tissue transplant process. Keep details of the tissue transplant in case it is required in the future.

Seek Alternatives: An additional option may include having your own tissue transplanted to other areas of the body. In addition, there may be options such as animal or synthetic tissues for your transplants.

Seek Answers: Simply ask your physician if they can provide absolute assurance that the body tissue you will receive in your surgery is safe and certified. It is imperative to understand where the tissues for a surgical transplant may come from.

Look for Accreditation: The American Association of Tissue Banks is a peer organization that has stringent standards for member banks. Tainted tissues are protected from cross-contamination by these standards.

Remember - the tissues industry is widely unregulated, so choose a tissue bank that has made a public commitment to its patients' health by joining a peer-regulated organization. In addition, make sure that your procedure is performed in a facility that has been accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This accreditation means that the facility follows the Commission's stringent tissue screening and handling guidelines in addition to federal and state regulations.

Write it Down: Ask your doctor for the names and contact information for each tissue bank or other company that provided tissues for your transplant procedure. Each facility should also be involved in the American Association of Tissue Banks to ensure that the tissue is certified.

Seek Representation Sometimes protection is not enough, and with the rampant failures in tissues industry regulation, you run the risk of infection due to tainted body tissue. If you experience health problems after a tissue transplant, speak with an experienced medical malpractice and negligence attorney about your tainted tissue transplant.

An experienced tissues lawyer will be able to help you assess whether you have a valid claim and aid you in filing your tissues law suit. Your doctor should file a report with the FDA; your lawyer will help you file your claim and gain the monetary compensation you deserve for your tainted tissue illness.