New rule expands organ transplant options for HIV-positive patients in the US
A new rule allows HIV-positive patients to receive kidney or liver transplants from HIV-positive donors, effective Wednesday. Previously, such transplants were limited to research studies. This change aims to increase the organ donor pool, potentially reducing wait times for all patients. Research supports the safety of this practice, showing similar survival rates for recipients of organs from HIV-positive and HIV-negative donors. The U.S. government first permitted research on HIV-positive organ transplants in 2013. Since then, 500 transplants from HIV-positive donors have been performed in the U.S.