Key Insights on Living Organ Donation in 2024
- Living organ donation approvals
Looking back at 2024, living organ donation continued to represent a significant proportion of all transplantation in the UK. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) approved 1105 cases of living organ donation, demonstrating the ongoing commitment of individuals to help save and improve lives through organ donation. In terms of kidney transplantation, which are the majority of cases the HTA considers, it can provide the opportunity for planned, pre-emptive transplantation before a patient needs to start dialysis.
The HTA's robust approval process for living organ donation involves several key elements. This includes careful review of each IA report alongside the supporting documentation, verification of compliance with legal requirements and final approval.
Independent Assessors (IAs) continue to play a crucial role, conducting detailed interviews to help verify the claimed relationship between donor and recipient, check that no duress, coercion or financial reward is involved, and provide information on the donor’s understanding of the nature of the procedure and the risks involved. Decisions are made within strict timeframes to facilitate transplant planning.
New legislation was introduced in 2024, requiring relevant clinicians to report to the HTA when a UK resident receives an organ transplant outside the UK, as well as any reasonable suspicion of a transplant related offence having been committed. As we look to the future, the focus remains on:
- Maintaining high standards of living organ donor protection
- Supporting transplant centres in facilitating living organ donation
- Ensuring consistent application of regulatory requirements
- Reviewing the first year of activity since the Human Tissue Act 2004 (Supply of Information about Transplants) Regulations 2024 came into force.
The success of living organ donation programmes relies on maintaining public confidence through robust regulation while ensuring the process remains accessible to those legitimately wishing to donate. The HTA's oversight continues to provide a balance, supporting the expansion of living donation while protecting the interests of all involved parties.
Jess Porter, Head of Regulation Organ Donation and Transplantation Sector
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