This past October a conference was held in Karachi, Pakistan where experts from across the world gathered to discuss the ethics of paid kidney donations. Recent research has shown that the rate of survival of the recipient is improved if a kidney donation comes from a living donor, and that the procedure may have better results if the transplantation is performed before the kidney actually shuts down. India's representative believed that equal rights were not practiced in their culture, and that some people were cheated, "forced" to sell their organs due to poverty. A conclusion was reached that there is a need for increased awareness programmes and inviting more volunteer donors to partake at their will. In some countries, such as the Phillipines, donating kidneys to foreigners is illegal and financial profits by sale of human body parts is prohibited as well. I think this is an interesting topic because it is so relevant in today's medical world. It is difficult because I cannot see many people just volunteering to donate their kidney to a stranger. I think I would be more inclined, or even inclined to think about it at all, only if someone very close to me needed the kidney to live. The question remains; is it ethical to pay someone to donate their kidney or other organs?
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C10%5C27%5Cstory_27-10-2008_pg7_24
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The article you chose sounds very interesting. As for the compensation for donating organs, I personally would not require compensation for donating anything--that's the whole concept of donating. If someone is expecting compensation then call it like it is--selling. Quid pro quo. As long as I'm alive, I would probably never offer any of my organs (the ones that come in pairs obviously) to anyone except a close relative. Once I've passed away, I'm not going to need them so I don't really care who they go to as long as the recipient is deserving--i.e. life and death, not just to replace a somewhat malfunctioning organ. The situation may be different in countries where organ donations are not frequently practiced or procedures are not available for a reasonable price. You get what you can how you can. I can't be mad at them for trying.
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