Nondirected living kidney donation. Is Australia ready?
BACKGROUND
The Renal Transplant Advisory Committee has recently approved nondirected kidney donation. If ratified at state level, it will allow volunteers to anonymously donate a kidney to any patient on the transplant waiting list. General practitioners, as well as more specialised services, may be approached by patients wishing to make such donations.


OBJECTIVE
This article summarises the scant literature on nondirected donation.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to commonly held beliefs, this type of donor may not necessarily exhibit psychopathology, and this form of donation may raise fewer ethical concerns than are raised by living related donors.
John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales. John.Hambridge@hunter.health.nsw.gov.au
John
J
Hambridge
Marina
M
Vamos
D000533:Altruism; D001315:Australia; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000941:ethics* / Q000639:trends*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000941:ethics* / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation