Singapore to Pay Organ Donors

Big news on the effort to alleviate the shortage of human organs:

Singapore is to allow compensation for kidney transplants and for eggs.
A government proposal has been approved by a bioethics committee and
legislation will be introduced early next year.

…According
to the BMJ, a sum of S$10,000 was mentioned. According to the Straits
Times, the health minister, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, mentioned "at least a
five-figure sum, possibly even six-figure" as appropriate
reimbursement. This would include expenses, such as transport and
medical costs, as well as loss of earnings. Also, the donor should be
covered for follow-up medical costs and higher insurance premiums as a
result of losing a kidney.

In other big news the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is reconsidering their long-held opposition to compensation for organ donors.  The NKF is surveying people on financial compensation.  Marginal Revolution readers can raise the level of discussion and perhaps help save some lives by answering the survey here (it’s very short).

Thanks to Lloyd Cohen and Richard Darling for the pointers.