Living donation
Guidance and resources on living donation and transplantation
In the UK, latest statistics show that 41% of all organ donors are living donors and living donor transplantation represents 22% of total transplant activity. Living donor transplantation is practised in adult and paediatric settings and both liver and kidneys are transplanted. Living donor kidney transplantation accounts for 96% of activity.
The legal requirements for living donor transplantation are set out in the Human Tissue Act 2004 and Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is responsible for regulating living donor transplantation under the Human Tissue Acts. With the exception of domino kidney donation (POL274 section5), as this arises from the patient's treatment, the HTA assess all cases of living donation prior to approving the removal of an organ.
The UK 'Organ Donation and Transplantation 2030: meeting the need' strategy, includes actions to support the development of living donation programmes and to address unwarranted variation in access to both kidney and lobe of liver donation from living donors for people waiting for a transplant.