Organ donor club grows, has critics

June 15, 2006

A new U.S.-based organ donor club has potential recipients anteing up their own organs for membership while doctors say the plan is unethical.

Dave Undis' LifeSharers program is simple -- sign up to donate your organs when you die and you'll be on the list to receive an organ from a fellow member.

ABC News reports organs with no recipient in the LifeSharers program are given to nonmembers.

Dr. Douglas Hanto of Harvard Medical School said organs should go to the person who needs it the most, not to people because they are members of a club.

Undis said his program is to encourage more people to become registered organ donors by using tangible incentives.

There are 4,528 people signed up for LifeSharers now with an increase of 45 percent in the past year, Undis said.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International


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