Iranian kidney market in limbo: a commentary on "The ambiguous lessons of the Iranian model of paid living kidney donation"

Altruistic nondirected kidney donation: attitudes, characteristics and ethical implications

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Altruistic nondirected kidney donation involves a person donating one of their kidneys to an unknown recipient. The donor's mental health and motives are frequently questioned. We want to highlight this topic and also encourage discussions about ethical implications.

RECENT FINDINGS

The main topics are the mental health of altruistic nondirected kidney donors and the general attitude towards the practice of this form of donation as well as the willingness of the public to donate this way. Soliciting organ donation via social networks or financial support is debated extensively in the media.

SUMMARY

There is a lack of studies on altruistic nondirected kidney donation. Most studies focus on related donors. Studies with larger samples should be performed on altruistic nondirected kidney donors to learn more about their motives and assess their mental health.

The Economics of Organ Transplantation

To determine the cost effectiveness of transplantation, we analyzed the financial economics of the organ and tissue transplant process. We compared the cost of this process with traditional modalities for treating endstage liver and kidney disease. Medical, surgical, legal, social, ethical, and religious issues are important in organ transplant procedures. Government, health insurance companies, and uninsured individuals are affected by the financial economics of organ transplantation. The distribution of financial burden differs among countries and is dependent on the unique circumstances of each country.