12/11/2007 - BILL TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE IN PAIRED KIDNEY DONATIONS PASSES U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE

PKD Foundation supports legislation, but treatment or cure to avoid transplant is ultimate goal.

(Washington, DC) December 11, 2007—A bill amending the National Organ Transplant Act to make paired kidney donations easier has passed the U.S. House and Senate. The Living Kidney Organ Donation Clarification Act (S. 487/H.R. 710) will benefit more than 600,000 Americans living with PKD.

PKD is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases. PKD causes cysts to form in the kidneys and eventually the kidneys fail. Dialysis and transplantation are the only treatments for kidney failure. There is no cure for PKD.

Many PKD patients find friends or family members willing to donate a kidney. But often, they are not compatible match for the patient they hope to help. Instead, hospitals find other families with willing donors and swap kidneys between the two patients.

H.R. 710 clears up any legal questions about those specific types of kidney donations; by indicating that transfer of paired kidney donations would not be considered something that was done for financial gain. This legislation also will allow the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network to move quickly to establish a national registry of pairs which transplant centers can begin to implement.

“We applaud the Congress for recognizing the life-saving benefits of paired organ donations,” said Dan Larson, President and CEO of the PKD Foundation. “A treatment or cure for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) would eliminate the need for kidney transplants for 600,000 Americans who suffer from PKD,” he added. “But until then, closing this legal loophole will undoubtedly increase the number of kidneys available for transplantation.”

The Senate version of this legislation (S. 487) was sponsored by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI). The House version was sponsored by Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-GA) , who passed away earlier this year. President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

To arrange interviews with Mr. Larson or PKD patients who are awaiting a kidney transplant or have participated in a kidney swap, contact Media Manager, Jennifer Robinson at (800) PKD-CURE or jenniferr@pkdcure.org.