title: Anonymity and live-donor transplantation: an ELPAT view.
abstract: Anonymity of donors or recipients in living-donor transplantation is a complex issue and practice varies widely. There are compelling arguments for maintaining anonymity of both parties before unspecified donor transplantation and specified indirect transplantation. After transplantation, there are still good reasons to avoid disclosure of identities. Although anonymity could be lifted if both parties explicitly request it, there are significant, potentially negative consequences of such an approach. Both donor and recipient should be counseled regarding these, and transplant teams should consider the considerable financial and psychosocial costs if problems are encountered as a result of contact. Given the recent rise in the number of unspecified living-donor transplants and through paired exchange schemes, it is vital that data are collected regarding the effects of maintaining or revoking anonymity after transplantation.
authors: Department of Transplantation, Guys Hospital, London, UK. nizam.mamode@gstt.nhs.uk
authors: Nizam
authors: N
authors: Mamode
authors: Annette
authors: A
authors: Lennerling
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Citterio
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Massey
authors: Kristof
authors: K
authors: Van Assche
authors: Sigrid
authors: S
authors: Sterckx
authors: Mihaela
authors: M
authors: Frunza
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Jung
authors: Assya
authors: A
authors: Pascalev
authors: Willij
authors: W
authors: Zuidema
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Johnson
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Loven
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: Weimar
authors: Frank J M F
authors: FJ
authors: Dor
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Dor
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D004644:Emotions; D037921:Gift Giving; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D019520:Living Donors / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic