The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has recently celebrated the introduction of the Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2024, legislation that would bolster and expand support for living organ donors in the USA.
“Donating a life-saving organ is one of the greatest possible gifts. ASN believes that living donation should be a cost-neutral act and commends the introduction of the “Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2024.” said ASN president Deidra C Crews (The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA). “This bill breaks down barriers to living organ donation by covering out-of-pocket costs incurred during the living donation process for most Americans, enshrining our nation’s commitment to those who give the gift of life. By better supporting living donors, this legislation will improve the lives of people with kidney failure by expanding access to the best-known treatment – a kidney transplant.”
In addition to expanding eligibility for the existing living donor programme so that more willing donors receive support, the ASN states that the bill would also ensure that more of the costs living donors incur during the donation process are covered. Among other things, it would also institute annual reporting to US Congress regarding the programme’s accomplishments.
“The ASN leadership and I applaud Congressional Kidney Caucus co-chairs Representatives Suzan DelBene and Larry Bucshon, as well as kidney champions representatives Carol Miller and Kim Schrier, for their leadership on behalf of the more than 800,000 Americans with kidney failure and the thousands of past and future living kidney donors, epitomised through their introduction of this crucial bill,” added Crews.
“ASN has long championed more robust support for living donors and welcomes the opportunity to fight for its enactment through this bipartisan legislation,” said Roslyn B Mannon (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA), chair of the ASN Policy and Advocacy Committee. “As a transplant nephrologist, I can attest to the incredible power of living donation to transform the life of someone with kidney failure. There are substantial financial burdens that impede many donors who are excellent medical candidates from actually donating. I am optimistic that this legislation will allow more Americans who wish to save the life of another through living donation to do so.”
“Only a small portion of the approximately 100,000-person long kidney waiting list receives a living donor kidney transplant each year, though living donor kidney transplants are considered the optimal form of kidney transplant for most people, often conferring shorter wait times and longer graft lifespan. Living kidney donation has also been shown to be the most cost-effective form of therapy for kidney failure,” followed Mannon. “Given that the annual number of living kidney donors has remained relatively flat for several years, at approximately just under 6,000, I am hopeful that the expanded support this bill provides will allow us to grow that number once it is signed into law.”
