Row after British organs given to foreigners

[okarol]

Row after British organs given to foreigners

By Vincent Moss Political Editor, sundaymirror.co.uk 29/03/2009

EXCLUSIVE

Organs from hundreds of British patients have been given to foreigners.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson released details of the controversial practice that lets overseas patients fly to the UK from as far away as China and Brazil for transplant operations.

Experts fear the disclosure could deter organ donors and add to the 8,000 people waiting for transplants.

Health Department figures show 729 foreigners have had transplant ops in the UK since 1998. Egypt tops the list, sending 138 patients here for new livers, kidneys and other organs at NHS hospitals.

Shadow Health Minister Stephen O'Brien said: "The Government has to get a grip on this. There is already a serious shortage of organs available to NHS patients.

"The interests of British patients come first."

At least 113 of the transplant organs came from registered donors. The operations were paid for by overseas governments or private funds. A report on transplants for foreign patients will be given to Mr Johnson by June after a review to "clarify the rules".

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/29/row-on-organs-for-foreigners-115875-21236595/

[Rerun]

I wonder if the foreigners "Paid" for these organs.  They left some money on the table I would think.

[David13]

They had better get this under control or they are going to seriously deter people from becoming organ donors.

[Chris]

Does Row mean something different in the UK?
The title of the article is a little confusing.

[rocker]

Does Row mean something different in the UK?
The title of the article is a little confusing.

A "row" is a fight.

They had better get this under control or they are going to seriously deter people from becoming organ donors.

I'm a registered donor, I can't imagine caring about the citizenship papers of any potential recipients.  Especially after I'm dead?

[David13]

They had better get this under control or they are going to seriously deter people from becoming organ donors.

I'm a registered donor, I can't imagine caring about the citizenship papers of any potential recipients.  Especially after I'm dead?

You might not care, but I would be willing to bet that others do.  The  concern is with how this news will impact organ donation in general.

[rose1999]

As long as my organs can give life to someone else why should I worry about their colour, creed, nationality etc.  Aren't we all children of the same world?

Strangely I haven't heard anyone in the UK complaining (or even talking) about this, which is unusual because quite a lot of us love to moan 

[Chris]

Row meaning Fight makes sense now.

Hate to go over there and ask for front row seats, I might get into a 

There was a similar situation in the US a couple years ago in Wisconsin. Many organs we're going to out of staters who came there to get listed and some Wisconsin residents would get passed up. The governor wanted to change that so only the organs would go to mostly people in Wisconsin then be offered to other people out of state. This was back in or around 2002.

[jbeany]

I can see wanting them to at least have established residency.  The organizations that run the organ donation system are taxpayer funded, aren't they?  I wouldn't care about the race, color, creed part of it, but it does sort of have that "transplant tourism" reek that has been associated with the organs for sale issue.

[okarol]

As long as my organs can give life to someone else why should I worry about their colour, creed, nationality etc.  Aren't we all children of the same world?

Strangely I haven't heard anyone in the UK complaining (or even talking) about this, which is unusual because quite a lot of us love to moan 

You'd worry if someone flew into town from another country, got a transplant and left, while people who are local (and may be unable to travel far to get a transplant) did not get one because of it. Having procurement distribution at the local level helps insure that organs go to people who live there.

The story is from the Mirror - do you ever read it?

[rose1999]

I wouldn't worry as I'd be dead 

But seriously I do genuinely feel that as long as the person who gets the organs needs them then that's OK.   I do understand what you are saying about someone 'local' not getting the organ but the person from abroad may be just as deserving (I hate the term but you know what I mean).  I think that if you are willing to donate your organs (and I'm talking after death here) that you have to accept that who gets them is out of your hands, they could just as easily go to someone local who you never liked.

I rarely read The Mirror it is one of our less well respected papers to put it nicely.  It is one of the tabloid papers that give journalism a bad name and is very economical and selective with the truth.  They have decided to put that spin on the story but have not said how many British people have received treatment in other countries for example. 

This is only my take on it and I realise others will have different opinions which I fully respect I just honestly feel that if say one of my IHD family need my organs after death then they are welcome to them despite the fact that not many of them live in the UK.