Giving the gift of life has never been easier

Opinion
IDEA FORUM
Giving the gift of life has never been easier
Our view: More donor registrations may cut demand for black-market organs
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.01.2009
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The Associated Press story that appeared in the Star this week sounded like something from the Third World ("Lax hospitals may be fostering black-market trade in kidneys," July 30). But it wasn't.
It appears the United States, where wait times for organ transplants can reach eight years, is seeing some illegal organ donations.
The story should be a clarion call for law enforcement to aggressively pursue suspected organ traffickers and for hospitals to tighten their screening processes to make sure impoverished people aren't selling organs to wealthy patients. The justice system and hospitals should work together to make sure a black-market for illegal organs doesn't thrive in the United States.
But regular citizens can do something, too, and it's really not that difficult.
Our idea today is for people to sign up to become organ donors in the event of an untimely death. This certainly isn't a new suggestion, but the AP's story on black-market organs serves as a reminder that we can all do our part to alleviate the perennial shortage of donated organs.
By increasing the number of organs legally available to sick Americans, we believe the market for illegal organs can be significantly diminished. More registered organ donors could also decrease wait times for Americans in need of life-saving transplants.
Dr. Bruce Kaplan, a kidney-transplant surgeon at University Medical Center, said the waiting period for organs in Tucson is typically three to five years. He said that's the case in most of the country, but some places like New York City and Los Angeles have waiting times that stretch to seven or eight years.
"If more people are willing to donate, it helps everyone who's on a waiting list. It's a domino effect," Kaplan said. "If you're a live donor, you help two people — the one who gets the kidney and the one who has to wait less time. If you donate when you die, you help four people — two that get your kidneys and two others who have to wait less."
A member of the Star's editorial board recently became a registered organ donor through an interaction with the state's Motor Vehicle Division. It was as easy as checking a box on an online form.
Kris Patterson, a spokeswoman for the Donor Network of Arizona, said about 25,000 Arizonans a month sign up to become registered donors. People can also sign up by telephone or via the Internet (See box).
Patterson said more than 90 percent of people support organ donation, but many don't know how to sign up.
She said donating organs can aid in the healing process for families who have lost a loved one in addition to bringing relief to people awaiting an organ.
"I've worked with many donor families. They are healed through their donation," Patterson said. "Often the donor family wants to meet the organ recipient's family. We help foster those kind of relationships."
The need for organ donors is great.
Currently, there are more than 1,800 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Arizona, with more than 102,000 people waiting in the United States, Patterson said.
Eighteen people die every day across the nation while waiting to receive an organ.
Kaplan said UMC has 250 to 300 people on its kidney transplant waiting list. While many can live for years with dialysis, about 10 percent of those patients die each year while waiting for a transplant, he said.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, about 80 percent of patients waiting for transplants are in need of kidneys. About 4,500 die each year while waiting for that particular organ.
Most Americans will never be called upon to donate a kidney while they are alive. Also, most cannot do much to halt illegal organ trafficking.
However, by registering to become organ donors, individuals can help make more legal organs available and cut down on wait times for patients.

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/303125