How Much for a Kidney?

INTRODUCTION

According to the World Health Organization, 80,000 kidney transplants are performed worldwide each year. Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

The demand for transplantable organs far exceeds the supply. That has led to an increase in the illegal trafficking of kidneys, which represent the majority of living-donor transplants because a person can live with only one.

Should people in need of a kidney transplant be allowed to pay someone to donate one of theirs, or would that let the rich exploit the poor?

READ THE DISCUSSION »

DEBATERS

Test Incentives for Organ Donations

SALLY SATEL, EDITOR, "WHEN ALTRUISM ISN'T ENOUGH"
Fix the System, Don’t Swap It for the Free Market

JEREMY CHAPMAN, TRANSPLANT PHYSICIAN
Protecting Donors and Patients

ARTHUR J. MATAS, TRANSPLANT SURGEON
An Economic Class War

KATRINA A. BRAMSTEDT, MEDICAL ETHICIST
Cover the Costs for Donors

ALEXANDER M. CAPRON, PROFESSOR OF HEALTH CARE LAW AND FRANCIS L. DELMONICO, TRANSPLANT SURGEON
Make Donation Appealing

DANIEL R. SALOMON AND ALAN LANGNAS, TRANSPLANT SURGEONS
Paying Donors Would Set Us Back

RUDOLPH GARCIA-GALLONT, TRANSPLANT SURGEON