ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the justifications for using children as kidney donors, and those given for excluding them. There are two possible justifications, therefore, for using a child as a renal donor. Firstly, one could argue that the procedure is beneficial and can therefore be justified, provided the concern about the absence of consent can be overcome. Secondly, one could acknowledge that the procedure is not beneficial for the donor, but meets the generally accepted criteria for non-beneficial interventions on unconsenting subjects. The facts of renal transplantation—technics of tissue typing, costs of dialysis and increased psychosocial knowledge about renal donors—have changed. Non-beneficial research on children has been advocated in England and the United States when four conditions are met. These include: the use of children is a "last resort"; there is no more than a trivial risk; there is a firm medical basis for expecting definite benefit for others; and consent is provided by a legally authorized representative of the subject.
