title: Living unrelated kidney donors: ethical aspects of living kidney donation in Brazil.
abstract: Brazil has established the largest public kidney transplantation system in the world .46.2% of transplants in 2008 came from living donors. The vast majority of these involved relatives of the recipient; less than 8% came from unrelated donors. In 2008, Brazil's health minister proposed banning unrelated donors in kidney transplantation. A large number of the over 35,000 Brazilians on the waiting list for a kidney would be denied a transplant without the use of unrelated donors. Brazilian culture has a unique feature, the "informal family", that is not legally recognised as a "family entity and is bound by affection rather than genetic or legal ties. It is vital that Brazil establishes a regulated, standardised, and ethical system of organ procurement; creates awareness about transplantation in physicians and the public; upgrades facilities and standardises medical care, and enforces legislation for transplantation. However, outlawing the use of unrelated donors would result in injustice for many patients who seek kidneys.
authors: Transplant Renal Unit, Medical School University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. gustavofferreira@gmail.com
authors: Gustavo Fernandes
authors: GF
authors: Ferreira
authors: Clarissa Diniz
authors: CD
authors: Guedes
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000941:ethics*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*