ESP

On January 4 1999, the Eurotransplant Senior Program (ESP) was implemented within the Eurotransplant kidney allocation scheme. This program has been developed because of an increasing number of older donors and recipients.

The ESP allocates kidneys from post-mortem donors of 65 years and older to recipients of 65 years and older without the use of a donor HLA typing. The ESP aims at a cold ischaemic period (CIP) that is as short as possible.

Kidneys from an ESP donor that cannot be allocated locally or regionally are allocated through the regular kidney allocation (ETKAS) after reporting of the HLA typing.

National allocation rules

• Austria, Belgium/Luxembourg, Slovenia
  In Austria, Belgium/Luxembourg and Slovenia, kidneys from ESP donors are allocated to ESP recipients from the reporting center’s local waiting list.
• Germany
  In Germany, kidneys from ESP donors are allocated to ESP recipients from the corresponding as defined by the organ procurement organization
  Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation (DSO). Kidneys from ESP donors are first allocated to ESP recipients registered within the same sub-region as the donor and then to ESP recipients registered within the other subregions.

Choice of allocation scheme

• Germany
  In Germany recipients aged 65 years or older have to choose for either being included in the ESP/ESDP or the ETKAS program. These programs are mutually exclusive.
• The Netherlands, Croatia, Slovenia
  In the Netherlands, Croatia and Slovenia, kidneys from ESP donors are allocated to ESP recipients according to the national waiting list.