The Ethics of Promoting Living Kidney Donation Using Nonargumentative Influence: Applications, Concerns, and Future...

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Medicine
• Bioethics
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Living donor kidney transplantation is crucial for expanding access to transplants.
• Overcoming barriers to living kidney donation (LKD) is a high-priority initiative.
• Current strategies involve transplant programs and nonprofits facilitating donor searches and promoting LKD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the ethical implications of using nonargumentative influence strategies to promote LKD.
• To explore how appeals to emotion, messenger effects, and social norms can increase LKD.
• To assess the compatibility of these strategies with ethical standards and patient autonomy.

Main Methods:

• Review of 2014 Consensus Conference recommendations on LKD.
• Analysis of "nonargumentative" influence strategies in other behavioral contexts.
• Examination of ethical concerns related to patient autonomy and influencer-recipient relationships.

Main Results:

• Nonargumentative strategies, such as emotional appeals and social norms, are increasingly used to promote LKD.
• These methods raise ethical questions regarding patient autonomy and the influencer-recipient dynamic.
• Previous research highlights potential impacts on the relationship between the influencer and the influenced.

Conclusions:

• Promoting LKD through nonargumentative influence is a promising strategy.
• Ethical concerns can be addressed through careful implementation and consideration of patient autonomy.
• Potential concerns and practical solutions for ethical LKD promotion are outlined.