Should Patients Be Able to Find Organ Donors on Facebook?

[Clark]

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/should-patients-be-able-to-find-organ-donors-on-facebook/390144/


Should Patients Be Able to Find Organ Donors on Facebook?

A recent case in Belgium, in which a man took to social media to ask for a kidney, is raising questions about who can ethically donate.
BENJAMIN DUERR
The list for a donor organ in Belgium is 1,248 patients long. Many will wait more than three years to receive a kidney. Roel Marien, 39 and the father of two young girls, says he does not have the time to sit and wait. So he took matters into his own hands and began to search for a donor among his Facebook friends.
His move sparked a discussion among doctors and patients in Europe about the current system, which is based on strict laws and anonymity. Is it fair if people search for organ donors online to avoid endless waiting lists? Might social media give certain patients an advantage, if they can present their stories well online?
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