Internet organ solicitation, explained

Abstract

The growth of internet-based communications and the increasing demand for living organ donors are resulting in more use of Web sites for organ solicitation. Web resources have the capacity to improve public awareness about both organ donations and transplant outcomes. Rules for organ donation and fair allocation must follow legal principles regarding organ solicitation. Categories of internet recipient/donor matching services include "clearing house," "membership," and "individual" sites. All these raise ethical concerns related to the individual recipient/donor relationship and to the current system of organ allocation. However, a lack of rules and regulations regarding internet solicitation exists. Several pragmatic steps are proposed. © 2006 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.