Living organ donation: is there still place for altruism?

Living organ donation for transplantation, the ultimate action of altruism, is nowadays the object of extended discussion in many levels. The international trend is to find the best and finest way to support and reward this action. A lot of proposals have been suggested, some of them, however, could turn the whole action into a procedure of trade. In this paper, the present status and the international trend in living organ donation are discussed; furthermore, the role of information, education and religion in the individual acceptance of "being a living donor" is evaluated. The experience of the transplantation center and the hospital volume as important factors for the medical management of the donor are also taken into consideration. Our purpose is to emphasize the mean and origins of living organ donation, which must be a well-balanced decision after detailed information, an educational procedure or a religious-based encouragement. Monetary incentives can have only short-term results in increasing the number of donors; they can also increase the exploitation of poor people and, in the long run, destroy the concept of donation, dissuading the altruistic donors.