In a groundbreaking move, the United States has officially removed restrictions on kidney and liver transplants from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients. Previously limited to research studies, this new rule aims to expand the organ donor pool and shorten wait times for all transplant patients, regardless of HIV status.
“This rule removes unnecessary barriers to kidney and liver transplants, expanding the organ donor pool and improving outcomes for transplant recipients with HIV,” said US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The decision is backed by a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 198 recipients. Findings revealed similar survival rates and low organ rejection rates for patients who received HIV-positive kidneys compared to those who received organs from non-HIV donors.
This shift builds on earlier milestones, surgeons in South Africa provided the first evidence that using HIV- positive donor organs was safe in people with HIV in 2010. Followed by the world’s first kidney transplant from a living HIV-positive donor in 2019 at Johns Hopkins University. To date, over 500 such transplants have been performed in the US, demonstrating both safety and efficacy.
Doctors are encouraged to consider the implications of this policy change as it has the potential to significantly impact patient care and resource allocation.
