The Case for Donating a Kidney While You’re Still Alive

Do you still not forgive anyone to someone else when you are still alive? Probably, given that many live organ donations have occurred these days.

The kidneys and the only body that recently remains are the only body parts that can be forgiven by someone living. Our body can work perfectly with a kidney, whereas the liver can turn back (doctors only remove a piece for transplant).

There are some short-term risks – as in any operation and potential rare complications, studies showed the average kidney donor Lives as long as they normally live and likely to have a little, long-term health effect (some studies have been suggested) the higher risk possible terms such as hypertension or diabetes). The kidneys also tend to live longer than new buyers compared to those of the late donor, It takes more than 20 years in some cases.

Although the kidney donations that live in time, it is not very common. Only about 6500 people Every year in the United States donates a live kidney every year, it is outside a total of 25,000 kidney transplants.

Last December, authors Mario Macis and Elizabeth Plummer published An article Jama’s domestic medicine aims to change this reality. Plummer, Professor specializing in medical care policy and taxi in the Texas Christian University, is an application economist in Macis Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. In January 2024, both their paper, and in January 2024, a kidney forgiving a kidney and an individual who explains the research of the factors that prevent others from doing the same thing.

We thought about the myths and obstacles around the live kidney donation, as well as how to follow the watch tracks of the guards, as well as how to act. The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Gizmodo: What was forced to the team for this unique blend of an article?

Plummer: I never thought of forgiveness of the kidney and the whole gift experience was the eye opening from start to finish. It was like to see a world that most of us did not know. But there are many people in dialysis and there are only to stay alive and there is a great need for kidney donors. This was an opportunity to increase awareness and understanding. And Mario’s gift process and knowledge of the system is superior. Seemed to be a great partnership.

Macis: As an economist, I was always very interested in understanding the markets where there are constant shortcomings. This is for blood donations for organ donations in many countries and around the world. The main reason for these shortcomings is not allowed to work in these frameworks, the mechanism for ethical considerations. The prohibition of financial transactions in these markets is designed to maintain moral values ​​and prevent exploitation, but also comes with significant costs in terms of human life and economic inefficiency.

In the event of a kidney forgiveness, the ban of compensation, the number of existing bodies depends entirely on altruism, which is not enough to satisfy the demand. As a result, ten thousands of patients remain in the waiting lists, many will be very sick for a transplant before they will die or get one. In terms of state finance, this shortcoming also puts a large load on taxpayers. Alternative to transplant-dialysis – It is not only a physical tax tax to patients only with Medicare, which covers a significant part of the costs. Each kidney transplant maintains a health care system for about $ 150,000, but policies that cannot resolve financial identification for donors limit the number of transportation.

Donations can increase financial injustice and increase the supply of ethical concerns, while suspending direct payments for the bodies. While investigating these trading paths, how can this trade can be prepared to develop policies to better balance how many ethical restrictions, what results are related to and save their life.

Gizmodo: According to people, what are the biggest misconceptions related to kidney donation?

Plummer: Most people remember the old days of the operation “worse for the buyer’s donor”. But now the donor operation is laparoscopic and most donors are discharged after 2 to 3 nights in the hospital. Although everyone’s experience is different, I had a pain and I went back to work a week later. People who do physical demanding work, of course, have to work for longer.

Another wrong is to get to know someone who needs a misconception and kidneys, and you have to be a match for that person. But this is not the case. Transplant centers now allow a large transplanting kidney donor chain that has a number of donors and buyers participating. For example, if my kidneys do not fit with my son, I could still forgive a stranger, and the cousin would buy a kidney from a stranger that matches him. Donor chains can be between different transplant centers and may apply to any number of donors and buyers. You can also be a completely altruistic donor, that is, you do not know anyone who needs kidneys. You just want to forgive. It will find someone you match with transplant centers and will definitely be someone.

Another misconception, you must be young. Healthy people over 60 can be an excellent donor candidate. In fact, some things are further in their favor. Many retire and do not have a child to take care of. The possibility of kidney disease in their lifetime can be lower than a small person. Donor Medical Groups do a wide range of work to assess whether medical assistance to forgive medically, but age is not an obstacle.

The latter, health teams evaluating donor candidates, work independently of groups that evaluate buyers. This helps prevent any pressure applied to the donor or donor medical group. Several times, the medical group convinced me to say that I do not have to retreat from the donation process and for any reason and for any reason.

Gizmodo: What are the practical steps to make such donations more common to organizations associated with the National Residential Donor Assistance Center of US politicians or transplantation organizations?

Macis: It is important to eliminate all financial deductions to the living kidney donation, increasing the number of transplantation and reducing the continuous deficiency.

If organ recipients cover medical and surgical expenses, they often face severe pocket expenses, including donors, lost salaries, travel expenses and dependent care. These financial loads may contain up to ten thousand dollars and avoid continuing many willing donors. A more comprehensive system that eliminates all these undasends, a live kidney donation, providing a life to get rid of a life, it really adds a neutral action in terms of finance.

The basic reform is to pay the donor or the recipient’s income, regardless of the profits and compensation to pay for indirect and indirect costs. Lost earnings, dependent care and travel expenses, we must fully compensate for inspection limits (but excluding the donors with very high income). Despite the direct payments of the bodies, the return of donors for all expenses, the transplantation of the community and the general support of the public. In addition, donors must be provided with long-term health insurance to commit any complication related to the kidney donation, protecting potential medical expenses from uncertainty [some lawmakers in the U.S. have been pushing for donors to receive free healthcare for life].

Indeed, additional protection needs to eliminate financial and non-financial risks, except for expenses. For example, such as pain, anxiety and anxiety, for example, recognize non-financial cargo such as evil, anxiety and anxiety, a complaining tax loan, a refundable tax loan must be submitted to promote personal victim.

Calculations indicate that each additional kidney transplantation saves American taxpayers about $ 150,000. The increase in the number of kidney transplants will significantly reduce the number of patients in dialysis leading billions of billions in Medicare deposits while improving health results. A bold policy that eliminates all the financial disputes will not only improve the lives of thousands of patients in need of a transplant, but will also keep taxpayers and strengthen the overall efficiency of the health system.

Given the widespread contract for donors to engage in financial costs, both ethics and practical considerations.

Gizmodo: How does Elizabeth work these days? And his uncle’s son?

Plummer: I’m doing great. The whole gift process seems to be visible for a lifetime. Forgotten about it, and my lifestyle has never changed, but excluding I cannot take NSAID (eg ibuprofen and Aleve). I loved them!

My uncle is very good or at least the kidney. There is no need for dializes that take 12 hours every night and require her husband’s help. Feels better and stronger. However, people who need a new kidney often have other medical problems, so it is the act of balancing. He must take several medications for the life of life (anti-waiver drugs and antibiotics) and often has doctor’s appointments for testing. But so far the body loves her new kidney. We are both happy.