A review of the possibility of adopting financially driven live donor kidney transplantation

Abstract

Kidney transplantation for end-stage renal disease remains the preferred solution due to its survival advantage, enhanced quality of life and cost-effectiveness. The main obstacle worldwide with this modality of treatment is the scarcity of organs. The demand has always exceeded the supply resulting in different types of donations. Kidney donation includes pure living related donors, deceased donors, living unrelated donors (altruistic), paired kidney donation and more recently compensated kidney donation. Ethical considerations in live donor kidney transplantation have always created a debate especially when rewarding unrelated donors. In this paper, we examine the problems of financially driven kidney transplantation, the ethical legitimacy of this practice, and propose some innovative methods and policies that could be adopted to ensure a better practice with accepted ethical guidelines.

Solid organ transplantation medicine in Arab countries: A Narrative Review Focused on Ethical Aspects

“…A shift toward some form of reward to organ donors has become more noticeable, Qatar and the US being recent examples. [64] Yacoubian et al [65] examined the various spectrum of donor compensation models; from reimbursing costs and lost earnings, to monetary or nonmonetary forms of appreciation without direct intention to encourage donation (rewarded gifting) to a market model. Some governments created monetarily valued and socially valued incentives for prospective living-anonymous donors.…”

The iranian model as a potential solution for the current kidney shortage crisis

“…In an electronically published (ahead of print, in June 20, 2018) article by Yacoubian, et al in this journal, the authors review the possibility of adopting financially derived live donor kidney transplantation (12). After reviewing all different alternatives they conclude that it is time to revisit the idea of governmental supervision with a regulated compensation to living donors, especially that no alternative solution has been available up to now to alleviate the current ever worsening organ shortage crisis (12).…”

“…After reviewing all different alternatives they conclude that it is time to revisit the idea of governmental supervision with a regulated compensation to living donors, especially that no alternative solution has been available up to now to alleviate the current ever worsening organ shortage crisis (12). …”