Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

09:17
Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior
Published on: July 24, 2017
Cross border shopping: how much for your heart?
David Edgell1, Anne Dipchand, Christine Harrison
1The Hospital for Sick Children. david.edgell@sickkids.ca
Healthcare Quarterly (Toronto, Ont.)
|November 2, 2006
Summary
Cross-border organ transactions create fiscal disparity. Canada should bill US transplant programs for organ acquisition costs to end healthcare subsidization.
Area of Science:
- Organ transplantation
- Healthcare economics
- International medical policy
Background:
- Cross-border organ donation and transplantation between Canada and the United States is a complex issue.
- Existing literature lacks a comprehensive analysis of the fiscal implications of these international organ transactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the fiscal disparity arising from Canada/United States cross-border organ transactions.
- To evaluate the sustainability of Canadian healthcare subsidizing US transplant programs through organ acquisition fees.
Main Methods:
- This study analyzes the financial flows and cost burdens associated with cross-border organ procurement.
- A critical review of current healthcare policies and economic models related to international organ sharing was conducted.
Main Results:
- Significant fiscal disparity exists due to cross-border organ transactions.
- Canadian healthcare systems bear substantial costs subsidizing US transplant programs via organ acquisition fees.
Conclusions:
- Canadian hospitals incur costs for organs procured for US transplant programs.
- Implementing billing mechanisms for US transplant programs is recommended to recover costs associated with organ procurement for their patients.
Related Concept Videos
Chambers of the Heart
The human heart is a complex organ made up of four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. These internal chambers are separated by partitions known as the interatrial and interventricular septa. The exterior of the heart features a groove known as the coronary sulcus that demarcates the atria from the ventricles, while the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci distinguish between the two ventricles.
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Heart Valves
The human heart is a complex organ with an intricate system of valves that regulate blood flow. There are two main types of valves: atrioventricular (AV) valves and semilunar valves.
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...
Blood Flow
Blood is pumped by the heart into the aorta, the largest artery in the body, and then into increasingly smaller arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. The velocity of blood flow decreases with increased cross-sectional blood vessel area. As blood returns to the heart through venules and veins, its velocity increases. The movement of blood is encouraged by smooth muscle in the vessel walls, the movement of skeletal muscle surrounding the vessels, and one-way valves that prevent backflow.
Crossing Over
Unlike mitosis, meiosis aims for genetic diversity in its creation of haploid gametes. Dividing germ cells first begin this process in prophase I, where each chromosome—replicated in S phase—is now composed of two sister chromatids (identical copies) joined centrally.
The homologous pairs of sister chromosomes—one from the maternal and one from the paternal genome—then begin to align alongside each other lengthwise, matching corresponding DNA positions in a process called synapsis.
In order to...
The homologous pairs of sister chromosomes—one from the maternal and one from the paternal genome—then begin to align alongside each other lengthwise, matching corresponding DNA positions in a process called synapsis.
In order to...
Crossing Over
Crossing over is the exchange of genetic information between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis I. Genetic recombination gives rise to allelic diversity in the newly formed daughter cells. In humans, crossing over produces genetically distinct haploid egg and sperm cells that undergo fertilization to produce unique offspring. Before cell division starts, the germ cell’s chromosome(s) undergo duplication in the S phase of the cell cycle. As the cells enter prophase I, duplicated...
Heart Sounds
Heart sounds are generated by the turbulence in blood flow due to the closing of heart valves. These sounds are best perceived slightly away from the valves, where the blood flow disseminates the sound.
Auscultation is the process of listening to these internal body sounds using a stethoscope. The heart produces four types of sounds, but only two—S1 and S2—can usually be heard with a stethoscope.
S1, also known as the "lub" sound, is caused by the closure of atrioventricular (A-V) valves at the...
Auscultation is the process of listening to these internal body sounds using a stethoscope. The heart produces four types of sounds, but only two—S1 and S2—can usually be heard with a stethoscope.
S1, also known as the "lub" sound, is caused by the closure of atrioventricular (A-V) valves at the...

