Thinking the unthinkable: selling kidneys

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7559.149

BMJ 2006;333:149 (15 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7559.149

Letter

Thinking the unthinkable: selling kidneys

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Roff's personal view on selling kidneys generateddiscussion during our morning round in an intensive care unitamong 10 doctors, including two nephrologists.¹ Only four wereagainst the regulated selling of kidneys for renal transplantation,the nephrologists taking opposing views. We offer several pointsin favour of the regulated sale of kidneys.

Firstly, regulated sale will bridge the gap between demand andsupply of kidneys for transplantation.

Secondly, it will reduce if not abolish the rampant illegalkidney trade. Most doctors are aware of this illegal trade butrarely become involved in it. We know that patients from richcountries visit poor countries for purchase of kidneys and renaltransplantation. Some poor villages in south India have a sizeablepopulation of people who have sold their kidney and are called"kidneypakkam."

Thirdly, monetary compensation of donors is well known and wellaccepted. We have seen brothers and sisters . . . [Full text of this article]

Kuldip P Anand, professor

Department of Medicine, Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata 700027, India kpkpa49@yahoo.co.in

Ajit Kashyap, head, department of endocrinology, Surekha Kashyap, department of hospital administration

Command Hospital (Central Command), Lucknow 226002, India