by Connor McCleskey

Posted on July 31, 2013

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has approved a bill allowing researchers to investigate the possibility of transplanting HIV-positive organs into HIV positive patients. The House will vote on the bill soon.

The HOPE Act (H.R. 698), authored by Lois Capps (D-California) and Andy Harris (R-Maryland) updates a preexisting law from the 1980’s banning the research or practice of transplanting HIV positive organs into HIV positive recipients.

Due to an increased understanding of the disease, HIV positive patients are living longer than before. However, liver and kidney failure remain two of the leading causes of death in those with HIV. Given the desperate state of US transplant lists, these patients face an extremely high risk of dying while waiting for organs.

The legislators estimate that at least 500 HIV positive organs are discarded every year due to the outdated law, and it is possible that these could save hundreds of lives. A study published recently in the American Journal of Transplantation brought up the possibility of this practice, noting that transplants of Hepatitis-C positive organs into patients with that disease have been proved to be safe.

It is important to clarify, however, that this bill merely paves the way for researchers to examine whether this is a safe method, and does not legalize the practice itself. At a time when Congress is seeking to cut any unnecessary spending, Capps believes that this could save hundreds of thousands of dollars on dialysis for HIV patients.

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