[Living-donor kidney transplantation in the European countries and in North America (2001-2009)].

In front of kidney transplants shortage, the alternative of living donor renal transplantation is discussed. The purpose of this work is to compare, in 16 European countries and of North America having a consequent activity, the levels of living donor renal transplantation activities and their possible impact on kidney shortage, usually reported in a fragmented and punctual way. In 2009 and in spite of a light growth, the French rate of 3,5 living donor kidney transplantation per million people (pmp) was one of the weakest just before Italy and Finland.

[Conceptions guiding the organization of organ procurement and transplantation in France, Canada and the United States].

The goal of the seminar which took place in Paris on April 15th and 16th, 2010, was to understand the reasons which lead, on both side of the Atlantic and from a common basis of values, to different choice about essential rules concerning: consent strategies for after death organ donation: non heart beating donation; anonymity; living donation; paired-exchange donation ("crossed donation"); altruistic donation ("good Samaritan"); donation incentives; the place devoted to patient's representatives in health systems. The seminar also aimed at providing the French legislator, while the law on bioethics was being discussed, with international perspective and useful information regarding ethical practices and reflections on these issues.

[French citizens do not know much about their kidneys... results of a nationwide survey on renal diseases].

Prevalence of chronic renal disease increases in France and in the world mainly because of ageing and diabetes mellitus. Early diagnosis and treatment of chronic renal disease allows significant slowing of the speed of degradation of glomerular filtration rate and may postpone or alleviate initiation of dialysis, an expensive and time consuming therapy. For the first time in France in October 2005, a campaign of information to improve awareness of French citizens on renal diseases was organised.