"Right now, about 7,000 people are awaiting a kidney transplant in the UK. According to NHS figures, in 2024/25 only 3,302 adult kidney transplants were performed. The charity Kidney Research UK states that just 32% of patients receive a transplant within a year of joining the waiting list and six people die every week while waiting. People who experience kidney failure need either lifelong dialysis or a transplant to survive."
"Yet even for those lucky enough to get a transplant, that is by no means the end of the story. Kidneys from deceased donors last an average of 10 to 15 years, those from a living person 20 to 25. If (or rather, when) a transplant fails, the affected patient once again needs dialysis or a donated organ. The UK is not unusual in having far more people who need kidneys than there are kidneys available."
"What is different about Iran? It is the only state that has legalised the sale of kidneys. This began in 1988, and means the country has no waiting lists. You can expect to pay about $5,000 for a new kidney, subject to a price cap adjusted for inflation and enforced by the government. (By contrast, a kidney bought on the black market elsewhere can cost up to $120,000.)"
About 7,000 people in the UK await kidney transplants while only 3,302 adult transplants occurred in 2024/25. Just 32% of patients receive a transplant within a year of joining the waiting list and six people die weekly while waiting. Kidney failure requires lifelong dialysis or transplantation; transplanted kidneys have limited lifespans (deceased donors 10–15 years, living donors 20–25). Most countries face organ shortages because supply relies on altruism. Iran legalised paid kidney sales in 1988, uses a government price cap (around $5,000) and reports no waiting lists, with many donors unrelated to recipients.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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