Deceased donor kidney transplant policies in Asia - implications on practice and recommendations for the future.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38361593.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.lansea.2023.100312 and PMC identifier 10866990.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) is common in high income Western countries with high transplantation rates. However, the utilization of deceased organs is suboptimal in Asia, due to a multitude of factors. Coherent policies are integral to the development of DDKT programs and deterrence of commercialization, but most are still at an infancy and formative stage in Asia. This review article identifies the glass ceiling effects of social, cultural, religious, political, and technical factors hampering the progress of DDKT in Asia. Additionally, it reviews the history of policy development in different countries and describes their idiosyncratic barriers and challenges. Lastly, it discusses innovative policy measures that can be undertaken to proliferate DDKT practice and curtail commercialization. The long-term ideal is to achieve regional equity and self-sufficiency, through a shared ethos of social and ethical responsibility that transcends and resonates with the different segments of the Asian community.