Only 10% of the kidneys transplanted in Italy come from living donors, even though this practise is considered safe and without consequences for the donor, experts said on Wednesday.
In other European countries and in the United States the percentage of organs transplanted from living donors is between 30 and 50%, according to Giovanni Civati and Cosimo Sansalone from Milan's Niguarda Hospital's kidney and pancreas unit.
Speaking at a conference on living organ donations, Civati said ''our goal is to reduce the gap between the demand and availability of kidneys for transplants. We hope to do this by encouraging donations not only from family members but also from compatible non-family donors''.
''Living organ donations,'' he observed, ''generally have excellent results and do not damage the health of the donor nor compromise their quality of life''.
''Much has been done in this sector but more could be done if people were more aware of the safety and benefits of living organ donations,'' Civati added.
According to data presented at the conference, 7,000 kidney transplants are needed a year but only a quarter of these patients, some 1,700, receive an organ and can thus return to a normal life.
This has resulted in the waiting period for an organ rising to more than 36 months in 2007.
