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Protect Yourself Against Tainted Body Tissue Transplants
The human body tissues industry is on the rise. Unfortunately, so are claims of negligence, malpractice, and the transplant of tainted and infected tissues into unknowing victims, who contracted infectious diseases such as syphilis and hepatitis from human body tissues. Unlike the organ donation industry, which has been carefully regulated and tracked for years, the human body tissue industry is notoriously unregulated. 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. Arm yourself with as much information about the tissue transplant as possible, and keep detailed records for your future use.
Seek Alternatives: Ask whether there are any alternatives to human body tissue transplants, since some modern procedures allow patients to use their own body tissues in transplants. In addition, there may be options such as animal or synthetic tissues for your transplants.
Seek Answers: Ask your doctor point-blank if he or she can assure you that the tissues slated for use in your transplant come from a certified tissue bank. If your doctor isn't comfortable providing answers about the origins of the human body tissue he'll use in your surgery, put the procedure on hold until you gain satisfactory information.
Look for Accreditation: The American Association of Tissue Banks is a peer organization that has stringent standards for member banks. These standards regulate tissue donation and infection control and help protect your transplant tissue from cross-contamination. 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. Double-check these facilities' participation in the American Association of Tissue Banks.
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.
