Why girls are less likely to be put on transplant waiting lists than boys

Academics have found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care.

Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020.

The team at the University of Bristol found that Black children were less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as were those from more deprived backgrounds.

Dr Alice James, lead author of the study, said the gender disparity in wait-listing may reflect “implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes.”

“There may also be social factors influencing clinicians’ assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process,” she said.

“While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.”

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Source: The Independent, 30 June 2025