Karnataka to consider allowing living donors to give organs to anonymous recipients

Bengaluru: State health officials are reviewing a draft amendment that could permit individuals to donate a kidney, part of liver, or other viable organs to recipients whose identities remain unknown. The move aims to broaden the pool of available organs beyond traditional directed donations from family members or known patients.
The proposal, circulated among the Karnataka Medical Council, outlines procedural safeguards, including thorough medical screening, psychological counseling for donors, and a transparent allocation system managed by the state transplant authority. It also specifies that donors must give informed consent without any financial incentive.
If approved, the policy could address the chronic shortage of transplantable organs in the state, where waiting lists for kidney and liver transplants remain long. Health department sources said the amendment is expected to be tabled in the upcoming legislative session, though a definitive timeline for implementation has not been set.
Stakeholders, including transplant surgeons and patient advocacy groups, have welcomed the initiative, noting that anonymous living donations have been successful in several other Indian states. The final decision will depend on legislative approval and the establishment of detailed operational guidelines.