Abstract

Kidney transplantation in Iran started in 1985. The transplantation program, known as the Renal Transplantation Initiative, was designed as a response to the prevalence of End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) and the long waiting list for transplantation abroad. Since the foundation of the government-regulated and -funded Living UnRelated Donor (LURD) program in 1988 and the implementation of the Brain Death Organ Donation Bill in 2000, Iran has built a legal, compensated, living-unrelated donation system which successfully saved many lives and eliminated the patient waiting list. To provide a holistic understanding of the organ donation program in Iran, this chapter introduces the healthcare system in Iran, the kidney transplantation development process, and the financial issues related to Iran’s organ donation system.