Kidney transplantation and withdrawal rates among wait-listed first-generation immigrants in Italy.

Background: Multiple barriers diminish access to kidney transplantation (KT) in immigrant compared to non-immigrant populations. It is unknown whether immigration status reduces the likelihood of KT after wait-listing despite universal healthcare coverage with uniform access to transplantation.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data of all adult waiting list (WL) registrants in Italy (2010-20) followed for 5 years until death, KT in a foreign center, deceased-donor kidney transplant (DDKT), living-donor kidney transplant (LDKT) or permanent withdrawal from the WL.

Building Kidney Exchange Programmes in Europe-An Overview of Exchange Practice and Activities.

Background: Considerable differences exist among the living donor Kidney Exchange Programmes (KEPs) that are in use and being built in Europe, contributing to a variation in the number of living donor transplants (Newsletter Transplant; International figures on donation and transplantation 2016). Efforts of European KEPs to exchange (best) practices and share approaches to address challenges have, however, been limited.

Methods: Experts from 23 European countries, collaborating on the European Network for Collaboration on Kidney Exchange Programmes Cooperation on Science and Technology Action, developed a questionnaire to collect detailed information on the functioning of all existing KEPs in Europe, as well as their opportunities and challenges.

From the EU Legislation to the Application of the Single European Code: Support to the Implementation.

The Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT) is coordinating with the Italian National Blood Centre (CNS) the Joint Action '!' (), already built the European Tissue Establishment and Tissue and Cell Product Compendia between 2011 and 2014 in order to provide European Member States with a tool which would grant traceability of tissues and cells at human transplant purpose across the European Union. The two compendia are available on an online platform hosted and managed by the European Commission.

The effect of differing kidney disease treatment modalities and organ donation and transplantation practices on health expenditure and patient outcomes.

The Effect of Differing Kidney Disease Treatment Modalities and Organ Donation and Transplantation Practices on Health Expenditure and Patient Outcomes (EDITH) aims to obtain information on long-term kidney transplant outcomes, long-term health outcomes of living kidney donors and detailed outcomes and costs related to the different treatment modalities of end-stage kidney disease. Nine partners from seven European Union countries will participate in this project.

The joint action MODE (Mutual Organ Donation and Transplantation Exchanges): a sound contribution to implementation of health policies in organ donation and transplantation.

Background: The main objective of the joint action MODE is the transfer of best-practices in the field of organ donation and transplantation and the creation of positive synergies among participating European (EU) Member States (MS) apt to support authorities in possible decision-making and policy contexts.

Methods: The consortium has chosen to foster the exchange of best-practice through a series of exchange visits followed by the provision of a set of specialized trainings.Each participating MS has presented its strengths and weaknesses through a questionnaire based on the Organ Action Plan.

The EUROCET Network: Support for Coding, Vigilance and Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: In the last years, there have been increasing concerns about the safety and traceability of human tissues and cells in Europe. In order to regulate this part of medical practice, the European Commission issued 3 directives between 2004 and 2006 and endorsed EUROCET to support member states in fulfilling some of their obligations. MATHODS: EUROCET created a connection with the European Union (EU) Competent Authorities (CAs) and set up a website where lists of the CAs, the authorized Tissue Establishments (TEs) and the activity data are published and updated.