Overview of Paired Exchanges
30% of potential living kidney donors are not compatible with their intended recipient. Incompatible donors/recipients need to be listed in multiple donor pools to maximize their chances of being matched with another incompatible pair. Transplant centers don't usually tell incompatible pairs about this option. Click here to read more about paired exchanges. Here's an example of a 2-way paired exchange.



The Paired Exchange Conundrum
Transplant centers don't tell incompatible pairs of the option or benefit of being listed in other paired exchange programs. This is The Paired Exchange Conundrum. To maximize the likelihood of being matched with another incompatible pair you want to be listed in the largest pool(s) of incompatible pairs. To read more about The Paired Exchange Conundrum click here.

Previous Action Taken to Encourage the UNOS Ethics Committee to Address this Issue
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the national organization that monitors organ donation practices. Although LKDN urged the UNOS Ethics Committee to investigate the conflicts and lost opportunities by not requiring centers to tell patients about the full range of their options, the committee decided not to explore it further. Click here to read the communications with the UNOS Ethics Committee.

Here's How You Could Help
This is an important issue, one that will save lives and needs more voices to be heard to correct the problem. Click here to email the Chairperson of the UNOS Ethics Committee, the Co-Chairperson and the UNOS Liaison and ask them to have the UNOS Ethics Committee address this issue. Click here for suggestions on what you could write in your email.

If you have questions feel free to email me by clicking here or to: harvey@LKDN.org

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