Kidney Blegging and Kidney Blogging Cont'd
Arnold Kling has a friend who needs a kidney, type O or A positive. Arnold, who has been ruled out for medical reasons, is looking for a donor or information on a paired exchange that would allow his friend's husband (type B positive) to give to someone else in exchange for a donation that would suit his wife.
Paired donation could significantly increase the number of kidney transplants, and there have already been some remarkable successes. But it could also be illegal. Federal law prohibits giving someone "valuable consideration" for an organ donation, and what could be more valuable than an organ to save a loved one? A bill, H.R.710, introduced by Reps. Charlie Norwood (R-Georgia) and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) would explicitly exempt paired donations from the prohibition. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. If your representative is a member, particularly of the subcommittee on health, please write to him or her urging that this bill be expedited. A similar bill died last year, despite little opposition. A Senate version is sponsored by Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.).