Ethical and legal aspects of organ transplantation in Iran.

The great advances in the technology of organ preservation, immunosuppression, and surgical procedures have resulted in success in saving lives. However, these advantages have raised major ethical, policy, and religious problems in organ transplantation. Extensive efforts have been made to address these problems in different communities. In this study the transplantation program and implementation of legislation in Iran is reviewed. The history of the organ transplantation "Act of Organ Transplantation and Brain Death," which allows controlled living unrelated donors access to renal transplantation, is discussed as the main subject. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.