Revolutionizing Organ Donation With Blockchain Technology
Prospects and Challenges In Healthcare
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57159/gadl.jcmm.2.5.23071Keywords:
Organ Transplant Waiting List, Blockchain Technology in Healthcare, Illegal Organ Trade, Healthcare Data Management, Smart Contracts in Organ DonationAbstract
Amidst a critical shortage in organ donations, with over 120,000 individuals on the waiting list compared to a mere 8,000 annual donors, blockchain technology emerges as a beacon of innovation for the organ donation ecosystem. Originally the bedrock of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, blockchain has since traversed beyond the financial sector, exhibiting potential for securing medical records, authenticating pharmaceuticals, and mitigating fraudulent practices within healthcare. It presents a decentralized ledger that not only ensures data integrity and immutability but also fosters transparent and efficient donor-recipient matching through smart contracts. Despite the promising applications, the adoption of blockchain in healthcare confronts challenges including interoperability, data security, and regulatory hurdles. The present article encapsulates the transformative impact of blockchain, particularly within organ transplantation, and underscores the necessity for further research to surmount the barriers to its implementation. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, its capacity to reconcile the demand-supply disparity in organ donations is anticipated to save numerous lives, revolutionizing the healthcare landscape.
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Accepted 2023-09-29
Published 2023-10-31
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