Drew Carey Speaks--Kidneys for Sale

[Zach]

Some thoughts from Drew Carey of "The Price is Right."
 

http://reason.tv/video/show/333.html

What are your thoughts

[boxman55]

mixed emotions, do you want someone to donate that really cares about you or do you just want a kidney no matter what. Most kidney patients would not have the money to pay so it would have to be the government that would pick up the tab. They already do for treatment so I guess if it was controlled by them and not turn into the rich get richer and the poor wait in line, why not. As someone on the transplant waiting list I am not to thrilled about hearing that by 2010 the wait time will double. Every way possible to speed up the wait time needs to be looked at...Boxman

[petey]

mixed emotions, do you want someone to donate that really cares about you or do you just want a kidney no matter what.

Marvin just wants a kidney no matter what -- it doesn't have to be from someone who cares about him, likes him, or even knows him.  Of course, we'd have a hard time paying for one, but ... if the government saw it was cheaper than years on dialysis, we'd certainly take it.

[jbeany]

I think at least some reimbursement for lost wages, medical and travel expenses would help.  Not everyone who is willing to donate can afford the time off work, or has insurance to cover the expenses.  Medicare doesn't cover everything, after all.

[willieandwinnie]

jbeany, you are so right about the reimbursement. Len got a Cadaver kidney in September 07 and and the bills are still rolling in. It is amazing what they charge and what medicare allows. Makes you want to  .

[KT0930]

The doctor from UCLA made the point that it would "take the caring out of the donor-recipient relationship". So? How many people get transplants from the list every year? My donor is dead. He or she does not care about me. I'd like to think that someday I'll get to meet his or her family, and maybe we'll all end up caring about each other, but what if we don't? What if we meet and don't really like each other? Does that mean I have to give the kidney back just because the "caring" is gone out of the relationship? No.

The story also says that by 2010, the wait time is expected to double. Chances are, this kidney will only last me about 10-20 years. That means that by the year 2028, I'll probably be on the list AGAIN (I'll be 54 then). Like Boxman said, anything to reduce waiting times needs to be explored.