Ethics and commerce in live donor renal transplantation: classification of the issues.
Renal transplantation is now very successful. A shortage of kidneys continues to be a problem. Attempts to increase the supply have recently led to unethical practices, but the issues in the discussion of the ethics need clarification. We propose a classification that we believe will help to achieve this for living donor renal transplantation. This can be considered under five categories: (1) living-related donation; (2) emotionally related donation; (3) altruistic donation; (4) "rewarded" gifting; and (5) rampant commercialism. Ethical issues for categories 1, 2, and 3 are either esoteric or have been resolved. Category 4 needs further discussion and elucidation and should be the area of concentration. Category 5 we perceive to be unethical.
Daar
A S
AS
Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Muscat, Oman.
Salahudeen
A K
AK
Pingle
A
A
Woods
H F
HF
D000533:Altruism; D003132:Commerce; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000191:economics*