The first successful kidney transplant was performed in 1954 by Dr. Joseph Murray, which put Murray on the path to receiving the Nobel Prize. Dr. Thomas Starzl transplanted the liver 13 years later, and then Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first heart transplant that same year.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. John Najarian transplanted a kidney into a SIX WEEK OLD baby (1970). Just imagine connecting those miniscule blood vessels. Twelve years later, he transplanted a liver into an 11 month old child- which may have been the triggering action to create the national organ matching network (per the National Organ Transplant Act, 1984). Najarian was an equal opportunity transplant surgeon- any abdominal organ (kidney, liver, pancreas) would do. Even kidney transplants for patients suffering from diabetes. (Transplantation surgeons don’t like performing their miracles on patients with multiple medical conditions.) Moreover, Dr. Najarian would perform these transplants not just for those with multiple complications, but on the very young and the very old. Again, patients most surgeons avoid.
All the while, he was confounded by the poor performance of the anti-rejection drugs; they simply didn’t provide the protection needed to effect safe transplants. (Any transplanted organ is foreign to the body that receives it. That means the immune system attacks the organ as soon as it’s connected.) Over the years, he improved his drug of choice, anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG), affording dramatic improvements in outcomes for the organs he transplanted.
His university affiliation, U of Minnesota, developed $ 79 million in sales of ALG right up until 1992. That’s when the FDA informed the U of Minnesota that they lacked approval for mass production of the drug. Not surprising, that led to multiple lawsuits, including federal charges of flouting drug safety regulations, among other improprieties. Thankfully, the judge dismissed 6 of those federal charges, while the jury acquitted Dr. Najarian of the other 15 in 1996. Two years later, Minnesota endowed a Chair in Najarian’s name.
John Najarian completed his medical training at UC San Francisco in 1952 and then joined the Air Force. He then studied immunology at Pittsburgh and did a stint at Scripps Institute (San Diego). He rejoined UCSF in 1963, where he started a transplantation service and tried to improve the tissue rejection problems. By 1967, he was affiliated with the University of Minnesota (where he led the surgical team).
It was through efforts of Najarian and other such pioneers that transplants are as safe as they are nowadays.
John Najarian, aged 92, died on the 31st of August this year.
Another pioneer succumbs.
I can’t even imagine doing a transplant on a tiny baby! What a genius Dr. Najarian was. Of all the doctors listed, I remember reading about Dr. Barnard and the first heart transplant the most.
When I had first heard of it- long before we had all those wonderful computer-enhanced devices we have now, I was flabbergasted! And, mesmerized.
Clearly a life well lived through service and example. Thank you for sharing this info, we need to celebrate these faithful servants trying to improve the human condition. RIP Dr. Najarian.
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Great additions to the discussion, Barb! Thanks for your input.