A kidney donor's dilemma: the sibling who can donate--but doesn't.

The decision making process undertaken by a sibling who chooses not to donate a kidney to a brother or sister who needs a transplant is the subject of this article. Presented from the perspective of the potential donor client, the paper focuses on the moral and ethical concerns indicated when there are two equal but competing rights involved in the decision. It also addresses pertinent attitudinal dimensions and social and health issues that affect all parties--the client, the marital partner, the family of origin, and the patient's immediate family. The article concludes by addressing "what" and "how" social workers assist clients after the difficult decision not to donate has been made.