Emotionally related donors and renal transplantation

Published medical and psychological evidence now available strongly supports the widening of donor sources to include the emotionally related donor. Irrespective of the benefit conferred by a living related over an unrelated donor, it now seems indefensible to refuse the donation of a kidney from an emotionally related individual to a recipient who meets the required criteria. An absence of other donor sources, the existence of preformed antibodies, or priority on the transplant list all seem to us to be compelling reasons to consider the use of the emotionally related donor. This is especially true when the psycho-social assessment reveals a true volunteer who is likely to derive psychological benefit from the donation and where "donation consensus" exists within the family.