Cai Wenjun/ Shanghai Daily news 

Cross renal transplants have been given the green light in China, with the Ministry of Health informing 164 of the nation's qualified hospitals that they can begin carrying out the organ transplant procedures, Shanghai Daily reported.

Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu said under new regulations on human organ transplants that took effect on May 1 last year, two families could share donors.

It means the family of a patient who received a donated kidney can then donate to any of the family members of the original kidney donor.