CURRENTLY, KIDNEY DONORS ARE EXPECTED TO GIVE UP NOT ONLY A PART OF THEIR BODY, BUT A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF THEIR NET WORTH
- One US study reported that overall costs averaged $837 per donor, ranging from $0 to $28,906.
- Costs for travel and accommodation were experienced by 99% and 88% of donors, respectively, in one US study.
- Three studies (from Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom) reported that 14% to 30% of donors lost income.
- One study from Germany and one from Australia found that 3% of donors resigned or were fired from their jobs as a result of physical limitations following surgery.
- A US study found that compared with non-donors, donors were 37% less likely to have long-term growth in household income.
- Caregiver costs were incurred by 9% to 44% of donors.
INCENTIVES CAN
SOLVE THE PROBLEM
Economists say that compensation ranging $15,000 to $45,000 will eliminate the kidney waiting list
Iran has a compensation program with a very small waiting list
FINANCIAL NEUTRALITY FOR KIDNEY DONORS
Financial neutrality has widespread support among opinion leaders
Removal of Disincentives:
Lost wages
• pre-surgery screening appointments
• Surgery and recovery
• post-surgery follow-up
• use of limited sick days
Travel and housing
• airfare/ gas/ rental/taxi/ parking; hotel or lodging; food; and travel insurance
Costs of complications
• additional lost wages, additional medical care; evaluation of new symptoms post-donation
Childcare expenses
Cost of pain medication
Potential job loss
DONORS COMPENSATED CURRENTLY
Egg donors receive as much as $50k
Surrogate mothers receive between $40k and $50k
Bone marrow donors receive $3k in some cases
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will pay $3k for persons willing to get infected with flu and quarantined for 9 days
OTHER SOLUTIONS
Presumed Consent Won’t Solve the Problem
31% of Californians opt to be organ donors
72% donation rate in California among donors who die of brain death (Better than every country in the world except Spain)
Presumed consent program is viewed as counter-productive by organ procurement organizations
2014 saw 181 unrelated anonymous kidney donations
8176 people on the kidney waiting list died or were too sick to transplant in 2014
