Living donor kidney transplantation: medical, legal, and ethical considerations.
The use of living donor kidneys has dramatically increased the number and success of kidney transplants across the world. But questions remain regarding the subjection of a healthy individual to surgery for the benefit of another. Donors do have medical and financial risks. The stigma of organ brokering remains today, with evidence of commercial transplantation in other countries. Here in the US, we are exposed to advertising for donors using the media. In the hope of increasing living donations, we run the risk of stretching altruism too far. In this manuscript, we highlight and discuss some of the current controversies surrounding living donor kidney transplantation across the world.
Paramesh
Anil S
AS
Tulane Abdominal Transplant Institute, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA. aparames@tulane.edu
Killackey
Mary T
MT
Zhang
Rubin
R
Alper
Brent
B
Slakey
Douglas P
DP
Florman
Sander S
SS
D000329:Advertising; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D019520:Living Donors / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008402:Mass Media; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000941:ethics