Homicide and rates of renal transplantation in the United States and Australia

Large, Matthew M

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02432.x

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To the Editor: Critics of the proposal to legalise trade in kidneys have pointed out the low rates of renal transplantation in Australia compared with the United States,1 where the trade in organs is also illegal. However, it is unclear if the lower rate of renal transplantation in Australia is a result of a shortfall in transplants from living or deceased donors.

Mental Health Services, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: mmbl@bigpond.com

1. Mathew T, Faull R, Snelling P. The shortage of kidneys for transplantation in Australia. Med J Aust 2005; 182: 204-205. <eMJA full text> <MJA full text>
2. Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. The 28th annual report. 2005 report — data to 2004. http://www.anzdata.org.au/v1/reports_2005.html (accessed Jun 2008).
3. US Census Bureau. National and state population estimates. Annual population estimates 2000 to 2005. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est2005.html (accessed Feb 2009).
4. Kung HC, Hoyert DL, Xu J, Murphy SL. Deaths: final data for 2005. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2008; 56: 1-120.

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