SINGAPORE: The National Medical Ethics Committee has supported the proposed change to the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) to compensate kidney donors.

The committee, which comprises doctors and professionals, gave its views to the Ministry of Health after considering a World Health Organisation guidelines on human organ transplant and an international declaration on organ trafficking.

The committee was invited by the Health Ministry to examine the ethics of providing compensation to altruistic living kidney donors.

Among its recommendations, the committee suggested that the compensation scheme should start with Singapore citizens and permanent residents.

The donor should also be given a choice whether to accept or decline the compensation.

The committee said the donation of a kidney is an altruistic act and the donated organ should be regarded as a gift.

It said that compensation could include expenses incurred by the kidney donor such as transport and medical costs, loss of earnings and expenses incurred following the donation of the kidney, which include follow-up medical costs and higher insurance premiums.

It also cautioned that the reimbursements should not become an inducement nor amount to organ trading. - CNA/vm