Individuals with HIV can now safely receive donated kidneys from deceased donors with the virus, as indicated by a recent extensive study. This development comes as the U.S. government moves towards expanding this practice, potentially reducing organ wait times for all individuals, regardless of HIV status.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed 198 kidney transplants conducted across the United States. Researchers observed comparable outcomes whether the donated kidney originated from a person with HIV or without the virus.
Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule change to permit kidney and liver transplants from HIV-positive donors outside of research settings. If approved, this rule would apply to both living and deceased donors, potentially taking effect within the next year.
Participants in the study were HIV positive, experiencing kidney failure, and agreed to receive an organ from either an HIV-positive deceased donor or an HIV-negative deceased donor, depending on availability. Over a four-year period, researchers monitored the organ recipients and found similar high rates of overall survival and low rates of organ rejection in both groups.
The study's co-author highlighted the safety and positive outcomes of these transplants, emphasizing the success of the procedures. The use of HIV-positive donor organs was first deemed safe in individuals with HIV in 2010 by surgeons in South Africa, with the practice being permitted in the U.S. in 2013 for research studies.
Since then, over 500 kidney and liver transplants from HIV-positive donors have been performed in the United States. This advancement not only benefits individuals living with HIV but also increases the availability of organs in the overall pool, potentially reducing wait times for those without HIV.
More than 90,000 individuals are currently on the waiting list for kidney transplants in the U.S., with over 4,000 people dying while awaiting kidneys in 2022. The study's findings are expected to have significant implications globally, particularly in countries that do not currently conduct transplantations using organs from HIV-positive donors.
This progress marks a significant step towards fairness and equality for individuals living with HIV, as highlighted by experts in the field. The positive outcomes of these transplants offer hope for improved access to life-saving organs for all individuals in need.
