ISN-DICG Joint Session: Organ Shortage, Trafficking and Donor Incentives

Organ trade is a hidden and criminal activity - hence we lack robust data. An estimated 5-10 % of all transplants are performed illegaly. Due to the increasing organ shortage and global, well organized networks the numbers in organ trafficking and transplant tourism might be even underestimating the full extent. The Declaration of Istanbul and its Custodian Group (DICG) tries to combat these unethical practices. In this session key avenues to target organ trade are presented. The attendees will learn about key approaches to target transplant tourism and organ trafficking. Options of how to report suspicious cases will be presented. In particular, practical issues like patient confidentiality and trust, physician protection, moral distress, 'red flags' indicating unethical practices and ways to support prosecution of cases will be discussed. Another main objective is to address the reality of organ shortage and the 'elephant in the room' that incentives are the solution to increase organ donation rates. Harms and benefits of financial and non-financial rewards to donors and or families will be presented. Last not least the media play a major role in effectively targeting unethical practices. The presentation will give insights into the work of investigative journalism, the tools to obtain and validate information, the ways of publishing the data to achieve maximum efficacy, without putting patients, donors, health care professionals in a dangerous position but targeting the key criminals, such as brokers and corrupt authorities.