Table 1 Evaluation protocol for potential living kidney donors - Course of the psychosomatic assessment

Step 1

First information (informed consent)

Nephrologist/ Surgeon

Step 2

First psychosomatic assessment

1. Mental stability, actual psychosocial situation

Different evaluators (two psychosomatic specialists) for donor and recipient

2. Scrutinization and verification of the informed consent

3. Verification of voluntariness taking relative behavioral patterns and neuroticisms of the donor into consideration

Step 3

Other medical examinations

Step 4

Second psychosomatic assessment

1. Dynamics of the relationship between donor and recipient

Donor, recipient and their evaluators (=advocates)

2. Anticipation of the transplantation

Step 5

Transplantation board

External assessment consisting of

Members of the transplantation board by the general medical association (a physician, a magistrate, a psychologist or specialist of psychosomatics)

Evaluation by the general medical association

- verification of voluntariness

- exclusion of financial interests

Final Informed consent

Anesthesiologist, Surgeon