Continent Surfer | Spain Authorises Organ Donation Between HIV+ Individuals: New Hope for Transplant Patients - Continent Surfer
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iranytu_feher
Continent Surfer
29 July 2025

Spain Authorises Organ Donation Between HIV+ Individuals: New Hope for Transplant Patients

Spain has taken a historic step in transplant medicine by authorising organ donation between HIV-positive individuals. This change overturns a ban introduced in 1987, which was originally implemented to curb the spread of the infection. Thanks to advancements in modern medicine, HIV-infected individuals can now be made asymptomatic, and their viral load can be reduced to zero in their blood, making organ donation safe.

This measure directly benefits the 50 HIV-positive patients who are added to Spain’s transplant waiting list annually. Previously, they could only receive organs from uninfected donors, but now they can also receive organs from asymptomatic HIV-positive donors, significantly increasing their chances of a transplant. According to Spanish health data, the impact of this measure is substantial: over the past decade, 65 deceased HIV+ donors could have donated their organs, enabling up to 165 transplants and helping other HIV+ patients.

With this step, Spain joins other countries that have already authorised organ transplantation between HIV-infected individuals. South Africa was the first country globally to implement this practice in 2008, followed by the United States. This decision not only improves the quality of life for HIV-positive patients but also contributes globally to the advancement of transplant medicine and the promotion of equal opportunities.

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Source: BMJ

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