Organ transplantation in Iran

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Renal transplantation in Iran began in 1967, initially relying on living-related donors, which couldn't meet national demand.
• A significant shift occurred in 1988 with the introduction of a regulated living-unrelated donor program, dramatically increasing transplant numbers.
• Legislation in 2000 enabled deceased-donor transplantation, further expanding organ availability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolution and impact of Iran's national organ transplantation program.
• To highlight the success in eliminating renal transplant waiting lists.
• To present data on deceased-donor organ procurement and transplantation outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of historical data on renal transplantations from 1967 to 2006.
• Review of policy changes, including the implementation of living-unrelated donor programs and deceased-donor legislation.
• Examination of organ procurement infrastructure development and transplant statistics.

Main Results:

• By 2006, Iran performed over 21,000 renal transplants, eliminating waiting lists and achieving >50% end-stage renal disease patient graft functioning.
• The living-unrelated donor program significantly boosted transplant numbers while mitigating ethical concerns of paid donation.
• Over 1,500 deceased-donor organ transplantations (kidney, liver, heart, etc.) were performed by 2006, with steady growth.

Conclusions:

• Iran's regulated organ donation system, particularly the living-unrelated donor model, has successfully eliminated renal transplant waiting lists.
• The establishment of deceased-donor organ procurement infrastructure has steadily increased the volume of life-saving transplants.
• Iran stands as a unique model for successful national organ transplantation programs addressing end-stage renal disease.