Expert says solve kidney donor crisis by paying for organs

A senior medical specialist has caused controversy over his comments regarding organ donations.

Nephrologist Dr. Gavin Carney has suggested that the current crisis in organ donations could be overcome if healthy people were allowed to sell their kidneys.

Dr. Carney's remarks have re-ignited the debate about how to deal with the Australia's donation crisis but have not been welcomed by transplant organisations such as Transplant Australia (TA), who say they are strongly opposed to such a scheme.

Kidney Health Australia (KHA), formerly known as the Kidney Foundation, is also against the proposal.

Dr. Carney has apparently brokered the idea that the Federal Government should allow transplants to go ahead for a fee of $50,000 - selling or buying organs in Australia is currently illegal and carries a penalty of six months jail or fines of over $4,000.

But Dr. Carney, from the Canberra Hospital, says young, fit and healthy people should be allowed to sell their kidneys for up to $50,000 as this would prevent sick patients from waiting years for transplants; it would also stop them from travelling to third world countries such as Pakistan and India in order to buy organs.

Chris Thomas the chief executive officer of TA says they reject that providing a financial incentive is the right approach as it would leave poor and desperate people vulnerable and it focuses on the people who are least able to pay for things in society.

The organisation says those considering buying black market organs in other countries need to be aware of the huge risks involved, such as HIV, hepatitis or other significant diseases.

Dr. Tim Matthews, KHA medical director of KHA says on average the wait for a kidney transplant in Australia is four years but each week one person dies while waiting for a transplant and some become quite desperate.

He does not believe that Dr. Carney's proposal would be supported by Australians and says a recent Government review of organ donation has come up with a list of recommendations and he is optimistic Australia can do better if the current system can be improved.

Australia has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the world, and more than 1,800 people are waiting for a kidney transplant - only 343 were donated last year.

Dr. Carney however says everything has been tried to enlist support for organ donation but the rates have not risen in 10 years.

He says as people are reluctant to give their organs away for free, a financial incentive might be the answer.