National Landscape of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Deceased Organ Donors in the United States.

Background: Organ transplantation from donors with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to recipients with HIV (HIV D+/R+) presents risks of donor-derived infections. Understanding clinical, immunologic, and virologic characteristics of HIV-positive donors is critical for safety.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of donors with HIV-positive and HIV false-positive (FP) test results within the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act in Action studies of HIV D+/R+ transplantation (ClinicalTrials.

Patients' Experiences With HIV-positive to HIV-positive Organ Transplantation.

Background: HIV donor (HIV D) to HIV recipient (HIV R) transplantation involves ethical considerations related to safety, consent, stigma, and privacy, which could be better understood through studying patients' actual experiences.

Methods: We interviewed kidney and liver transplant recipients enrolled in clinical trials evaluating HIV D/R transplantation at 4 centers regarding their decision-making process, the informed consent process, and posttransplant experiences. Participants were interviewed at-transplant (≤3 wk after transplant), posttransplant (≥3 mo after transplant), or both time points.

Development of a Patient Reported Measure of Experimental Transplants with HIV and Ethics in the United States (PROMETHEUS).

Background: Transplantation of HIV-positive (HIV+) donor organs for HIV+ recipients (HIV D+/R+) is now being performed as research in the United States, but raises ethical concerns. While patient-reported outcome measures are increasingly used to evaluate clinical interventions, there is no published measure to aptly capture patients' experiences in the unique context of experimental HIV D+/R+ transplantation. Therefore, we developed PROMETHEUS (patient-reported measure of experimental transplants with HIV and ethics in the United States).

A prospective multicenter pilot study of HIV-positive deceased donor to HIV-positive recipient kidney transplantation: HOPE in action.

HIV-positive donor to HIV-positive recipient (HIV D+/R+) transplantation is permitted in the United States under the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act. To explore safety and the risk attributable to an HIV+ donor, we performed a prospective multicenter pilot study comparing HIV D+/R+ vs HIV-negative donor to HIV+ recipient (HIV D-/R+) kidney transplantation (KT). From 3/2016 to 7/2019 at 14 centers, there were 75 HIV+ KTs: 25 D+ and 50 D- (22 recipients from D- with false positive HIV tests).

Patient's Perspectives of Experimental HCV-Positive to HCV-Negative Renal Transplantation: Report from a Single Site.

With growing transplant wait times, clinical trials are evaluating the safety and efficacy of transplanting HCV-infected donor (HCV+) organs into HCV-noninfected recipients (HCV D+/R-). Such transplants raise ethical questions about safety, consent, and access to organs. We interviewed eight of the ten total HCV D+/R- transplant recipients enrolled in a pilot clinical trial examining the safety and feasibility of these novel transplants regarding their experiences in the trial, including their decision-making and perceptions of the informed consent process.

Early experiences of independent advocates for potential HIV+ recipients of HIV+ donor organ transplants.

Background: HIV+ to HIV+ solid organ transplants in the United States are now legally permitted. Currently, these transplants must adhere to the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act Safeguards and Research Criteria that require the provision of an independent recipient advocate, a novel requirement for solid organ transplant programs. The objective of this study was to understand the experiences of the first advocates serving in this role.

Perceptions, motivations, and concerns about living organ donation among people living with HIV.

Recent changes to United States law now permit people living with HIV (PLWH) to donate organs to HIV-infected (HIV+) recipients under research protocols. PLWH may have unique motivations for and concerns about living donation and understanding them is critical to ensuring the integrity of this novel approach to organ transplantation. We conducted in-depth interviews with PLWH from an urban HIV clinic who had previously indicated their willingness to be a living donor.