Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the US plans to become the first hospital in the country to perform organ transplant between HIV positive patients, implying that the donor and the recipient both are infected with HIV virus. This first transplant of its kind is just awaiting the right match. If successful, this move will be instrumental in paving the way for boosting the transplantation rate in the country, along with reducing the waiting list for receiving organs.

According to an annual estimate given by the Director of the Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transplantation at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, approximately 1,000 organs are wasted because they belong to about 500 HIV-positive donors. "While it's exciting for Hopkins to have achieved this policy victory and to be able to do this innovative work, the real excitement is for the patients who now have the opportunity to have their lives saved," said Segev.

The HIV Organ Policy Equity Act was signed by President Barack Obama in 2013, making HIV-positive organ transplants legalized since 1988. Dr. Segev offered assistance in the formulation of the act. Dr. Segev added that this act will cut down the waiting list for organ transplantation of approximately 120,000 people.

Kidney and liver transplants will be undertaken by the hospitals, with initial focus on deceased donors. The hospital will be the first in the country and in the world to carry out an HIV-positive kidney transplant and an HIV-positive liver transplant respectively.

The measure is being viewed as a success not only for the HIV society since they will have increased medical alternatives, but also because they are now permitted to become donors as well. Since last two years, Johns Hopkins has been working towards formulating parameters in association with primary health organizations, to ensure security in the transplantation procedure.