29545: Jonas Alexandre - Reply on 29539: Durban (comment): Following up on Kidneys in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jonas Alexandre <alexanj1@yahoo.com>

Lance Durban wrote "So, what if the Haitian legislature passed legislation 
legalizing the practice of selling kidneys, subject to strict controls and 
permitted only in approved facilities in-country?  (I can hear Corbetters 
screaming already)", then in a subsequent 'clarifying' reply also wrote: 
"before my "reputation on Corbett" becomes "hard to live down" as my friend put 
it, I think I best back away from this idea (smile)"...

Well, Mr. Durban, not so fast... I've been on this list for the past five + 
years and problably responded to no more than a couple of outrageous comments 
over the past five years, I thought I might not let this one go. What were you 
thinking?! Why even mention/propose such an idea as selling organs? Even if 
such a law would pass, who's got the most to profit? Not the average 
Haitian.Who would be the lobbyists? probably those North Americans who could 
afford the plane ticket to Haiti to have the "quick, safe, economical, and 
legal transplants" or well-to-do Haitians who could afford them on the spot in 
these "top notch transplant clinics" ... You tried to redeem yourself in the 
following statement: "Still, I find that I am not categorically opposed to the 
practice IF IT WAS SUBJECT TO STRICT OVERSIGHT TO PREVENT ABUSE. And that's the 
rub that would make is hard to support in today's Haiti.  I refer to that 
Transparency International corruption index with Haiti dead last".
 What?! Strict Oversight?! that does not exist anywhere. You could have a 
semblant of it as even in a sophisticated country like USA, still it would be 
very very hard to have strict oversight on such a program/law of organ selling. 
Who would set the price? the donor, receiver, the MCOs, the Government through 
the FDA or Medicare Part D, state legislatures? to name a few. Even the organ 
donation program has its flaws. I've always wondered as many others did how, in 
1993, my late Governor Casey of Pennsylvania received  a rare heart-liver 
transplant so fast while, as you properly stated, the waiting period on 
transplants in general are very long. In Casey's case, the announcement of the 
disease was made just days before he underwent the transplant.

Mr. Durban, I am glad though that you raised this interesting subject worth 
continuing genuinely. Let's change the subject a bit, not back away from it 
entirely. How about we discuss organ donation in Haiti? I do not know if 
currrently there exists such a structure in Haiti or how many organ transplants 
are performed in Haiti? Any statistics on the types performed? Is there a 
governing body that decide who gets the organs? (I venture to say none), but 
mabye someone on the list knows. There certainly is a need for organ donation 
education in the Haitian community, whether in Haiti or in the States. Even in 
the States, the majority of the Haitians I know (in PA & NY) are not registered 
organ donors. Though I am not qualified at all to talk on the subject, any time 
it is raised I encourage family members, fellow church members or co-workers to 
register since the state of Pennsylvania makes it easier by doing so on your 
driver's license registration. Maybe such a system could
 be worth discussing with Haitian legislators by those who have access to them 
or by  the Haitian medical community or Haitian medical associations such as 
Association Haitienne des Maladies Renales; Association Medicale Haitienne 
(AMH); Association des Medecins de Petion Ville (AMPV); Association de Sante 
Publique D'Haiti (ASPHA) or Association de Medecins Haitiens a L'Etranger, to 
cite those few I know. Is anyone on the list a member of them or knows anyone 
who is a member of them who could shed some light? May the discussion continue, 
Mr. Durban. Your intentions were honorable I am certain, you started a good 
one.

Jonas Alexandre
Philadelphia, PA