Exclusion Criteria for Organ Donation
Exclusion criteria for organ donation are essential to ensure the safety and viability of transplanted organs and to prevent the transmission of diseases to recipients. The criteria can vary slightly depending on the country and specific organ donation guidelines, but generally include the following:
Absolute Exclusion Criteria
- Active Infection
- Untreatable Infections: Active systemic infections that are not treatable with antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals.
- Sepsis: Active, uncontrolled sepsis at the time of death.
- Malignancy
- Current Cancer: Active cancer, except for primary brain tumours without metastasis. Specific low-risk cancers (e.g., certain skin cancers) may be exceptions.
- History of Cancer: Metastatic or aggressive cancers diagnosed within a certain period before death (e.g., within the last five years).
- HIV Infection
- Untreated HIV: Active, untreated HIV infection. (Note: HIV-positive individuals may be considered for donation to HIV-positive recipients under specific protocols.)
- Prion Disease
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): Confirmed or suspected prion diseases due to the high risk of transmission.
- Uncontrolled Substance Abuse
- Recent Intravenous Drug Use: Active or recent intravenous drug use, particularly if associated with high-risk behaviours for infectious diseases.
- Severe Systemic Disease
- End-stage Organ Disease: Severe, irreversible organ dysfunction that affects the viability of donated organs (e.g., severe cardiac, pulmonary, or renal failure)