Ont. to consider reimbursing organ donors

Ontario could become the next province to reimburse people who make so-called living donations of livers or kidneys as the province targets transplant waiting lists, Health Minister George Smitherman said Tuesday.

With the majority of the 1,748 patients on organ waiting lists in need of kidneys or livers, Mr. Smitherman said Ontario is looking to British Columbia for ideas after that province decided to reimburse patients who become live donors.

“The real opportunity is in what we can do to support those people who are willing to give this really beautiful, beautiful gift of life,” he said.

“For some people, there could be concerns about job security and for other people obviously underlying concerns about the costs associated with missing work.”

Ontario must “look hard” at how donors are supported, Mr. Smitherman added.

“British Columbia is a model. They've moved ahead and we need to take a good look at that.”

Last year, British Columbia brought in a pilot project that reimburses live donors up to $5,500 for expenses like accommodation, travel, meals and lost income incurred during the donation process.

That project was examined by the citizen's panel on organ donation appointed by the Ontario Liberals late last year and is expected to be at the heart of the panel's report, which Mr. Smitherman is currently mulling over.

The province is not looking at paying people for their organs, Mr. Smitherman said, but rather ensuring people aren't prevented from donating because of financial worries.

“It's an expensive proposition but obviously it is the gift of life,” he added.

A focus on living donors would bolster an existing program that allows people to consent to organ donation after they die.

Many advocates had hoped the organ donation report would prompt the province to bring in a system of presumed consent — where everyone is automatically a donor upon their death unless they opt out.

But Mr. Smitherman said Ontario wants to focus on increasing the number of live donors rather than convincing people to donate their organs after death.

Frank Markel, President and CEO of the Trillium Gift of Life Network, said the number of living donors is going up slowly but there were still fewer than 300 people who donated either part of a liver or a kidney last year.

Most of those people donated their organs to loved ones. Mr. Markel said it's harder to convince others to undergo surgery, especially if they are worried about their finances.

“Even for those people who are prepared to donate, it's a considerable inconvenience and it's a concern,” he said. “When someone steps forward and is considerate enough to be a donor, you really don't want them worrying about financial issues at the same time.”

Janet Bick, director of government and professional relations for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, said there is no “silver bullet” to increase live organ donations.

There is, however, anecdotal evidence that the reimbursement project in British Columbia is working and there is no reason not to try it here in Ontario as well, she added.

“It's something we would certainly support,” she said. “Frankly any initiative that looks at increasing the number of kidneys available is certainly a positive thing.”

Conservative Leader John Tory said he doesn't want to see Ontario follow the United States by paying for things like blood donations. It makes much more sense for Ontario to simply make it easier for people to bequeath their organs, he said.

“People shouldn't be put at a substantial financial disadvantage if they can be convinced to be living donors of organs,” Tory said. “I do think we should put a priority on getting people to fill out their donor cards and participate in that program.”

New Democrat Peter Kormos, who introduced a private members' bill that would make everyone in Ontario an automatic donor unless they opt out, said the Liberals are shying away from the real issue.

If the province had a system of presumed consent, he said people would be more comfortable with organ donation and would be more likely to volunteer to be live donors.

“The public needs leadership,” Mr. Kormos said. “Those people in Ontario waiting on organ donor lists need bold action by their government to save their lives.”

source:www.theglobeandmail.com