Misattributed paternity in a living related donor: to disclose or not to disclose?

Urology. 2004 Sep;64(3):590. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2004.04.075.

Abstract

Many ethical considerations surround living kidney donation, some of which are not anticipated. We present a case in which misattributed paternity was inadvertently discovered during the workup of a father and son and present arguments for and against disclosure of this information. We recommend that transplant programs advise patients participating in living organ donor programs that misattributed paternity might be discovered during routine preoperative testing and that protocols for dealing with complex ethical issues be in place.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • HLA Antigens / genetics
  • Humans
  • Informed Consent / ethics
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery
  • Kidney Transplantation / ethics*
  • Living Donors / ethics*
  • Living Donors / psychology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Paternity*
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Truth Disclosure*

Substances

  • HLA Antigens