Required Informed Consent for Kidney Paired Donation: Comment due 12/5/14!

[Clark]

http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/governance/public-comment/proposal-for-informed-consent-for-kidney-paired-donation/

Proposal for Informed Consent for Kidney Paired Donation

The Proposal for Informed Consent for Kidney Paired Donation proposes required elements for informed consent for paired candidates and donors participating in any KPD program. The proposal requires transplant programs registering the paired candidates and donors to inform KPD participants of the risks and benefits of participating in the KPD program and the logistics of the KPD program's matching process, including prioritization information and consequences of shipping kidneys. It also includes additional informed consent elements for non-directed donors (NDDs) and bridge donors participating in any KPD program. These informed consent requirements are intended to be supplemental and additional to the requirements required in Policy 14.3: Informed Consent Requirements.

Read the full proposal http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/media/1114/01_kpd_informed_consent.pdf

Submit your comment! http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/governance/public-comment/proposal-for-informed-consent-for-kidney-paired-donation/

[Clark]

My comment:

We welcome required minimum standards for transplant programs in securing informed consent from potential living organ donors. We hope that this proposal is approved and represents incremental progress for enforceable minimum standards safeguarding the dignity and autonomy of all those choosing to offer to become donors. We hope that no double standard is applied to donor candidates depending on their relationship or lack thereof to a potential recipient. Whether related directed, unrelated directed, paired, in a chain, or non directed, all donor candidates should be equally well informed about what they risk, for what potential benefit, in the full context of current policy and practice.