Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Stem Cell Matching For Patients Of Mixed Race, Ted C. Bergstrom

Ted C Bergstrom

Patients with leukemia and other blood diseases stand a good chance of recovery and a return to normal life if they receive a stem cell transplant from a living donor. In the absence of a transplant, their survival prospects are grim. For a transplant to be successful, the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) of the donor and recipient must be a close genetic match. To facilitate non-sibling matches, the developed nations of the world have set up national volunteer registries. The larges such registry is the NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program). We estimate the distribution of HLA types for individuals of …

One Chance In A Million: Altruism And The Bone Marrow Registry, Ted Bergstrom, Rod Garratt, Damien Sheehan-Connor

Ted C Bergstrom

Transplants of donated stem cells save the lives of many patients with blood diseases. Donation is somewhat painful, butrarely has lasting adverse effects. Patients can accept transplants only from donors with compatible immune systems. Those lacking a sibling match must seek donations from the population at large. The probability that two persons of the same race are compatible is less than 1/10,000. Health authorities maintain a registry of several million genetically-tested potential donors who have agreed to donate if asked. We study the peculiar structure of voluntary public good provision represented by the registry, and compare the marginal benefits and …

The Benefits Of Risk Factor Prevention In Americans Aged 51 Years And Older, Dana P. Goldman, Yuhui Zheng, Federico Girosi, Pierre-Carl Michaud, S. Jay Olshansky, David Cutler, John W. Rowe

Yuhui Zheng

Objectives. We assessed the potential health and economic benefits of reducing common risk factors in older Americans.

Methods. A dynamic simulation model tracked a national cohort of persons 51 and 52 years of age to project their health and medical spending in prevention scenarios for diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking.

Results. The gain in life span from successful treatment of a person aged 51 or 52 years for obesity would be 0.85 years; for hypertension, 2.05 years; and for diabetes, 3.17 years. A 51- or 52-year-old person who quit smoking would gain 3.44 years. Despite living longer, those successfully treated …

Understanding The Economic Consequences Of Shifting Trends In Population Health, Pierre-Carl Michaud, Dana P. Goldman, Darius N. Lakdawalla, Yuhui Zheng, Adam Gailey

Yuhui Zheng

No abstract provided.

International Differences In Longevity And Health And Their Economic Consequences, Pierre-Carl Michaud, Dana P. Goldman, Darius N. Lakdawalla, Adam Gailey, Yuhui Zheng

Yuhui Zheng

No abstract provided.