Doctors OK Kidney Transplant Arranged Through Internet

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Doctors OK Kidney Transplant Arranged Through Internet

NewsMax.com WiresWednesday, Oct. 20, 2004

DENVER – Doctors who postponed a kidney transplant between two men who met through a private organ-donation Web site decided Tuesday to allow the operation, despite legal and ethical concerns.The operation, scheduled for Wednesday, is believed to be the first transplant arranged through a Web site designed to match organ donors with recipients, said Lowney, medical director of MatchingDonors.com, where the two men made contact.

Doctors at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center initially postponed the procedure to replace Bob Hickey's kidney as he was in a hospital room with IVs running from his arm. The hospital's ethics committee said Tuesday that the operation should be allowed to go ahead as long as both men pledged that neither was profiting financially. Rob Smitty, who read Hickey's story on the Web site and agreed to give him a kidney before the two had ever met, said he felt vindicated by Tuesday's decision. "They're allowing me to do something just good for this man," said Smitty, of Chatanooga, Tenn. In a statement, hospital CEO Mimi Roberson said the decision to allow a "compassionate exception" did not mean the hospital is endorsing the Web site, and said officials will give greater scrutiny to such transplants in the future. Hickey said he first learned about MatchingDonors.com in January, the same month the Web site became operational. The company, based in Canton, Mass., charges varying fees, sometimes $290 a month, to post profiles of people looking for live organ donors. Hickey, who has needed a transplant since 1999 because of a kidney disease, was tired of waiting on the national donation list. Within three months of posting on the Web site, he received 500 offers for donations, which he eventually whittled down to Smitty, a part-time photographer and food distributor. "It gave me so much hope," he said. Hickey said his agreement with Smitty was legal. As allowed by law, he is paying Smitty for his family's trip to Denver and his lost wages. He estimated the total cost at $4,800 to $5,000. United Network for Organ Sharing, the national organization that matches organ donations to patients in the United States, has come out against the Web site, saying it takes advantage of vulnerable transplant candidates and donors and subverts the equal allocation of organs. Mark Yarborough, the director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, said he was concerned about the Web site's fairness and potential lack of oversight by medical professionals. "This kind of system potentially may make the overriding criteria the ability to pay," he said. Lowney said the company waived its fees when people could not afford them. All fees go to maintaining the Web site, the company says. He said he saw nothing wrong with people wanting to help a specific group of individuals, such as a firefighter donating his kidney to another firefighter. "I don't have a problem with that, as long as we can get people organs," he said, adding he doubted the Web site would ever lead to discrimination. "If you're a hateful person, you're not going to be someone who wants to be an organ donor for a stranger in the first place."

© 2004 Associated Press.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/10/20/114754.shtml

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"PeachStatePam"wrote:Doctors OK Kidney Transplant Arranged Through InternetNewsMax.com WiresWednesday, Oct. 20, 2004DENVER - Doctors who postponed a kidney transplant between two menwho met through a private organ-donation Web site decided Tuesday toallow the operation, despite legal and ethical concerns.The operation, scheduled for Wednesday, is believed to be the firsttransplant arranged through a Web site designed to match organdonors with recipients, said Lowney, medical director ofMatchingDonors.com, where the two men made contact.Doctors at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center initiallypostponed the procedure to replace Bob Hickey's kidney as he was ina hospital room with IVs running from his arm. The hospital's ethicscommittee said Tuesday that the operation should be allowed to

goahead as long as both men pledged that neither was profitingfinancially.Rob Smitty, who read Hickey's story on the Web site and agreed togive him a kidney before the two had ever met, said he feltvindicated by Tuesday's decision."They're allowing me to do something just good for this man," saidSmitty, of Chatanooga, Tenn.In a statement, hospital CEO Mimi Roberson said the decision toallow a "compassionate exception" did not mean the hospital isendorsing the Web site, and said officials will give greaterscrutiny to such transplants in the future.Hickey said he first learned about MatchingDonors.com in January,the same month the Web site became operational. The company, basedin Canton, Mass., charges varying fees, sometimes $290 a month, topost profiles of people looking for live organ donors.Hickey, who has needed a transplant since 1999 because of a kidneydisease, was tired of waiting on the

national donation list. Withinthree months of posting on the Web site, he received 500 offers fordonations, which he eventually whittled down to Smitty, a part-timephotographer and food distributor."It gave me so much hope," he said.Hickey said his agreement with Smitty was legal. As allowed by law,he is paying Smitty for his family's trip to Denver and his lostwages. He estimated the total cost at $4,800 to $5,000.United Network for Organ Sharing, the national organization thatmatches organ donations to patients in the United States, has comeout against the Web site, saying it takes advantage of vulnerabletransplant candidates and donors and subverts the equal allocationof organs.Mark Yarborough, the director of the Center for Bioethics andHumanities at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center inDenver, said he was concerned about the Web site's fairness andpotential lack of oversight by

medical professionals."This kind of system potentially may make the overriding criteriathe ability to pay," he said.Lowney said the company waived its fees when people could not affordthem. All fees go to maintaining the Web site, the company says.He said he saw nothing wrong with people wanting to help a specificgroup of individuals, such as a firefighter donating his kidney toanother firefighter."I don't have a problem with that, as long as we can get peopleorgans," he said, adding he doubted the Web site would ever lead todiscrimination. "If you're a hateful person, you're not going to besomeone who wants to be an organ donor for a stranger in the firstplace."© 2004 Associated Press.http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/10/20/114754.shtml

[Guest guest]

"PeachStatePam"wrote:Doctors OK Kidney Transplant Arranged Through InternetNewsMax.com WiresWednesday, Oct. 20, 2004DENVER - Doctors who postponed a kidney transplant between two menwho met through a private organ-donation Web site decided Tuesday toallow the operation, despite legal and ethical concerns.The operation, scheduled for Wednesday, is believed to be the firsttransplant arranged through a Web site designed to match organdonors with recipients, said Lowney, medical director ofMatchingDonors.com, where the two men made contact.Doctors at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center initiallypostponed the procedure to replace Bob Hickey's kidney as he was ina hospital room with IVs running from his arm. The hospital's ethicscommittee said Tuesday that the operation should be allowed to

goahead as long as both men pledged that neither was profitingfinancially.Rob Smitty, who read Hickey's story on the Web site and agreed togive him a kidney before the two had ever met, said he feltvindicated by Tuesday's decision."They're allowing me to do something just good for this man," saidSmitty, of Chatanooga, Tenn.In a statement, hospital CEO Mimi Roberson said the decision toallow a "compassionate exception" did not mean the hospital isendorsing the Web site, and said officials will give greaterscrutiny to such transplants in the future.Hickey said he first learned about MatchingDonors.com in January,the same month the Web site became operational. The company, basedin Canton, Mass., charges varying fees, sometimes $290 a month, topost profiles of people looking for live organ donors.Hickey, who has needed a transplant since 1999 because of a kidneydisease, was tired of waiting on the

national donation list. Withinthree months of posting on the Web site, he received 500 offers fordonations, which he eventually whittled down to Smitty, a part-timephotographer and food distributor."It gave me so much hope," he said.Hickey said his agreement with Smitty was legal. As allowed by law,he is paying Smitty for his family's trip to Denver and his lostwages. He estimated the total cost at $4,800 to $5,000.United Network for Organ Sharing, the national organization thatmatches organ donations to patients in the United States, has comeout against the Web site, saying it takes advantage of vulnerabletransplant candidates and donors and subverts the equal allocationof organs.Mark Yarborough, the director of the Center for Bioethics andHumanities at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center inDenver, said he was concerned about the Web site's fairness andpotential lack of oversight by

medical professionals."This kind of system potentially may make the overriding criteriathe ability to pay," he said.Lowney said the company waived its fees when people could not affordthem. All fees go to maintaining the Web site, the company says.He said he saw nothing wrong with people wanting to help a specificgroup of individuals, such as a firefighter donating his kidney toanother firefighter."I don't have a problem with that, as long as we can get peopleorgans," he said, adding he doubted the Web site would ever lead todiscrimination. "If you're a hateful person, you're not going to besomeone who wants to be an organ donor for a stranger in the firstplace."© 2004 Associated Press.http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/10/20/114754.shtml