Any healthy person between the ages of 20 and 65 can donate. The blood group should be compatible, which means O group can donate to a patient with any blood group, and a patient with AB blood can get any group donor. Rh has no role in transplant, which means that a Rh positive donor can donate to a Rh negative patient, and a Rh negative donor can donate to a Rh positive patient.

As per Indian law, organ sales are banned and no foreigner can get a local donor. The penalty for organ trade is very heavy and our center follows the human organ transplant law very strictly.

As per the Indian law, close relatives can donate without government clearance, like parents, children, brothers and sisters (siblings), and spouse (husband or wife). All other relatives like cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, in-laws, friends, and well- wishers who want to donate, will have to appear before the government committee for unrelated transplant (Authorization Committee) for clearance and only after such clearance will our center conduct the transplant.

HLA matching is done to prove relationship; this is a legal requirement and has no relevance to the success of transplants with the advent of modern drugs.

After your transplant you will be on a number of drugs of which the main one will be Cyclosporine, or Tacrolimus. These have revolutionized the success rate of transplants worldwide. The success can be improved further with induction drugs like SIMULECT, ZENAPAX, ATG and ALG, which are optional and your nephrologists will discuss these with you. You will also be prescribed another drug called CELLCEPT or a cheaper generic drug. Two doses of Simulect used during surgery will cost about Rs. 120,000/- (about US $ 2500). Zenapax will cost about the same. Cellcept at a dose of 500mg twice daily for 1 year will cost about Rs.60,000. ( US $ 1700 per year)

Generic Cyclosporine, Tacrolimus and Mycophenolate are available in India. These are equally potent as those manufactured abroad, and are far cheaper. PLEASE ASK YOUR NEPHROLOGIST, who will prescribe the ones that have been proved to be effective.

The cost of transplant is dependant on various factors:

Do you want us to arrange accommodation for you, your donor and attendants?

Do you want a simple, but clean, accommodation or a star accommodation?

Do you want us to provide daily meals with your accommodation?

Do you want us to provide transport services during your stay in Bangalore?

Do you want to stay in a deluxe ward or an economy one in the hospital?

Do you want the nephrologists to use one of the costly induction agents like Simulect (see above)?

What is the duration of stay in the hospital and in Bangalore, before and after the transplant?

Please remember that you will need to spend on post transplant tests and medicines, which approximately cost Rs 15,000 every month, for about 2 years. After 2 years, this cost should come down to a manageable Rs 5,000 per month, LIFELONG!

We have a 92% one year survival rate and an 80% survival rate at the end of 5 years. These figures are comparable with some of the best centers in the world.