Life-Saving Through Kidney Donation: Health Ministry's Reform Plans

The life-saving gesture of donating an organ is not only considered in the context of one's own passing. Kidney donations, in particular, can already be made during one’s lifetime, thus providing invaluable assistance to those who are seriously ill, as exemplified by the case of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who supported his wife Elke Büdenbender with a kidney donation in 2010. Currently, the prerequisites for this are, however, defined very narrowly, which often leads to incompatibilities. In light of this, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is planning to expand the legal framework for kidney donations. The initiative follows the realization that the current number of donors and the long waiting times of up to eight years for a transplantation necessitate a revision of the transplantation law. The "Stern" was the first to report on the corresponding draft bill, which was made available to the German Press Agency. The goal is to expand the circle of donors and recipients. Given the lamentable discrepancy between the available organ donors and the needy and based on the fact that last year over 2,600 patients were registered on waiting lists and 289 patients died while waiting, there is a clear need for action. Dialysis treatments represent a strict routine for those without the prospect of a new donor kidney. So far, kidney donations have been permitted exclusively among certain groups of people, including close relatives, spouses or life partners, and individuals particularly close to the donor. Moreover, priority has traditionally been given to organs from deceased donors. The process becomes complicated with medical incompatibilities, as about 40 percent of all potential donors do not match their recipients. The new legislative provisions are intended to open the way for more live donations and to abolish the current stipulation that one may only donate if no available organs from deceased individuals are found. The release of two new arrangements is sought: the so-called paired exchange donations for couples who are not medically compatible, and the option for anonymous donation, where the donor does not know the recipient. There is also to be provision for trusted individuals in transplant centers and comprehensive care for donors. This takes into account the fact that while organ donation can be life-saving, it is also associated with risks and emotional challenges. Additionally, a bonus system is being considered which would benefit donors who themselves might need a transplantation in the future.