The big question...

Yesterday the BBC one programme the Big Questions came from my home town of Warrington!

So the big question was… Should live donors be encouraged to provide a kidney to the transplant service by offering them financial compensation?

Britain has a shortage of kidney donors. Around 6,000 people are currently waiting to receive a transplant. In desperation some patients are traveling abroad to buy kidneys from live donors. 25 years ago Iran decided to allow live donors to sell one of their kidneys for transplant and it is claimed that waiting lists were eradicated as a result.


I was asked to appear on the programme to debate this issue; I declined however a friend and fellow dialysis patient appeared on the programme. He stated that he did not agree with this. I am tempted to agree with him and feel that those in desperate need of money may be exploited and it could end up that they would feel pressured to donate. More education and promotion into organ donation is necessary and maybe in the future the opt-out system will be put into practice to improve the shortage of organs.

Click here to see the message board from the big questions, and people’s thoughts on the subject.


Any thoughts?