Ethics of a Paired-Kidney-Exchange Program

Abstract

Although transplantation is the best treatment for many people with end-stage renal disease, the gap between the number of organ donors and the number of potential recipients continues to widen.¹ Patients are often treated with dialysis for years while awaiting transplants, and many die.¹ At the University of Chicago, between 10 and 20 percent of patients with available living donors cannot receive transplants from them because of ABO incompatibility. We propose to increase the supply of organs by using kidneys from living donors who are ABO-incompatible with the intended recipients but are ABO-compatible with other recipients. Through an exchange arrangement . . .