Living donation
Guidance and resources on living donation and transplantation
COVID-19: see our advice for clinical staff involved in facilitating organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the UK.
In the UK, latest statistics show that 39% of all organ donors are living donors and living donor transplantation represents 21% 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 98% 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, 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 Living Donor Kidney Transplantation 2020: A UK Strategy was launched with the support of the wider organ donation and transplantation community to match world class performance in living donor kidney transplantation.