TY  - JOUR
T1  - EConomic and health consequences of selling a kidney in india
AU  - Goyal M, Mehta RL, Schneiderman LJ, Sehgal AR
Y1  - 2002/10/02
N1  - 10.1001/jama.288.13.1589
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 1589
EP  - 1593
VL  - 288
IS  - 13
N2  - Context 
                  Many countries have a shortage of kidneys available for transplantation.
Paying people to donate kidneys is often proposed or justified as a way to
benefit recipients by increasing the supply of organs and to benefit donors
by improving their economic status. However, whether individuals who sell
their kidneys actually benefit from the sale is controversial.Objective 
                  To determine the economic and health effects of selling a kidney.Design, Setting, and Participants 
                  Cross-sectional survey conducted in February 2001 among 305 individuals
who had sold a kidney in Chennai, India, an average of 6 years before the
survey.Main Outcome Measures 
                  Reasons for selling kidney, amount received from sale, how money was
spent, change in economic status, change in health status, advice for others
contemplating selling a kidney.Results 
                  Ninety-six percent of participants sold their kidneys to pay off debts.
The average amount received was $1070. Most of the money received was spent
on debts, food, and clothing. Average family income declined by one third
after nephrectomy (P<.001), and the number of
participants living below the poverty line increased. Three fourths of participants
were still in debt at the time of the survey. About 86% of participants reported
a deterioration in their health status after nephrectomy. Seventy-nine percent
would not recommend that others sell a kidney.Conclusions 
                  Among paid donors in India, selling a kidney does not lead to a long-term
economic benefit and may be associated with a decline in health. Physicians
and policy makers should reexamine the value of using financial incentives
to increase the supply of organs for transplantation.
SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.288.13.1589
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.13.1589
ER  -