Effect of Race on Access and Outcome in Renal Transplantation

To the Editor: Kasiske et al. (Jan. 31 issue)¹ cite recent studies attesting to the decreased likelihood that blacks will participate in a transplantation procedure involving living related donors or consent to the use of their organs for cadaveric donation. However, it is possible that the attitudes reported in these surveys may not be applicable to transplantation in children with organ failure. We recently interviewed 106 families attending various pediatric specialty clinics to evaluate their awareness of transplantation and willingness to consider donation involving living related donors or cadaveric organs. We found that only 64 percent of the families were. . .