DONATE A KIDNEY... WE’LL PAY YOU €2,500
Joe Brolly says gardaí should probe insurer’s cash offer while campaigners ask: Is it legal?
AN INSURANCE firm is offering €2,500 to customers who donate an organ to a relative – a move that has been slammed by support groups as ‘cash for organs’. Campaigner Joe Brolly, who donated his kidney to help a friend, said the offer should be reported to the gardaí. And the Irish Kidney Association contacted the Department of Health to ask whether the proposal is legal. However, the Royal London Ireland insurance firm has defended its decision to include ‘organ
donor cover’ as part of its ‘Specified Serious Illness Cover’, which means it will pay the money to a donor who gives a kidney, bone marrow or a portion of lung or liver to a family member.
It says the money could help to offset any potential loss of earnings, medical bills and expenses incurred by those making an organ donation.
But a Health Department spokesman told the Irish Daily Mail that officials are considering the issue after being contacted.
Kidney Association chief Mark Murphy said: ‘I don’t know if it’s even legal because the law prohibits the advertising of, sale or procurement of organs.’
He feared the offer could spark a race by the insurance companies to offer more cash as a way of drumming up business.
‘Part of me does not like money being involved, because all we need is the next serious illness cover [provider] to make that €5,000, and just compete for the amount of money they’re going to give living donors.
‘This offering of €2,500 isn’t an incentive, but it would encourage, so I wonder whether they’re legal in offering this.’
GAA pundit, organ donor campaigner and barriste Mr Brolly dubbed the offer ‘cash for organs’. He described it as ‘at the very least extremely unsavoury and unethical’, adding: ‘It ought to be reported to the gardaí as there may well be a criminal offence involved.’
He said: ‘It’s extremely unlikely the transplant would go ahead as the doctors would not perform it if there was any suggestion of an incentive. As I say, it’s cash for organs and it is tinkering in a very precious, very deep area.’
Five years ago, the former Derry football player, 47, donated a kidney to Shane Finnegan, with whom he coached an underage GAA team in Belfast.
The donation sadly failed but Mr Brolly has campaigned for a change to the law to increase the number of people who donate.
The HSE currently runs a compensation scheme for donors which includes loss of earnings cover up to €10,000 and travel and accommodation expenses up to €6,000. However, the compensation scheme was designed to remove any disincentive to donate an organ rather than to act as an incentive.
And it is not restricted to family members.
Mr Murphy, of the Kidney Association, said the insurance offer ‘is inappropriate when there’s already a compensation scheme’.
Royal London Ireland said it didn’t believe the criticism was fair. A spokesman said: ‘I don’t think €2,500 is going to make anyone give up an organ and it’s only for families. It’s an interesting concern but I don’t think €2,500 would act as an incentive to anyone to give up an organ,
‘I don’t think €2.500 acts as an incentive’
but they do have to be related. It will pay out on your policy just to help you. It’s huge surgery and you won’t be able to work so it helps cover your costs.’
Royal London offers the same organ donor cover insurance in the UK.
In a statement announcing the move, Collete Houton, underwriting and claims lead for the insurer, said the offer would make their Specified Serious Illness Cover the best on the market.
She said: ‘The supply of organ donations is an ongoing issue in this country, with an ever increasing demand from those who are unfortunate enough to need organ transplantation. This shortage has led to more people receiving organs from living donors.
‘Potential donors can face loss of earnings coupled with high medical bills and expenses and our goal is to alleviate these worries and concerns somewhat, by providing some financial aid to support them through surgery and recovery time. Living organ donation is an admirable, altruistic act and a lump sum can, at least, help to offset any costs after the operation and recovery involved.’
There are around 600 people in Ireland awaiting life-saving transplants, including those in need of a kidney, lung or liver. christian.mccashin@dailymail.ie