First prize � a kidney

[AB Asks]

A new Dutch reality show will see contestants battle it out for transplant organs. The show will see a dying woman decide which contestant will receive one of her kidneys. The contestants will make films about their lives in a bid to win the kidney from the woman who has an inoperable brain tumour. What do you think about this? Is it sick? Is it this dying woman's right to decide which person receives her kidney?

[jenstar]

Actually, I could be tempted to donate organs when I die if I could vet the potential recipients first. It's not good for the recipients, but it's good for the donor.

[Gromit]

jenstar,
I'm not knocking you, but you'd be dead so what would it matter?

[NJOK]

Try as I might, I can't get myself that het up about this reality show. I feel for the contestants who lose out but I'm sure they know that they're helping to raise awareness of organ donation, which can't harm their cause.

And at least the dying woman is giving up her kidney, which is more than most people do in this country.

[Kromovaracun]

To be honest, I find the idea absolutely revolting. There's just something in me which springs up and screams about how abhorrent this is.

However, if we decided our stance on issues purely over emotion, we'd be centuries behind. Or writing for the Daily Mail. Bom, Tish!

So, looking at this through my liberal specs, despite my disapproval, I simply can't see any reason why this shouldn't happen if all the candidates have consented to paricipate, and the audience has consented to watch.

[ruby27]

Apart from my initial revulsion, I do have some other reservations. The dieing person can not just choose, there needs to be some testing to assure a match and that the recipient will not automatically reject the organ. So presumably the dieing person and the perspective recipient have already been tested. True the organs do currently belong to the dieing person but one wonders if you should have the rights to chose who has your kidney. I would assume that some contestants may be able to pay for a film that is more appealing than some poor person, sort of privileged contest.
Try as I can I can not comprehend the value of this as a TV programme, will the audience be amused, entertained by the prospect of some one dieing or is it being able to vote off some family who have not had the financial and emotional resources to put together a catchy, eye grabbing and slick film. Yuk, Yuk!!!

[alijangra]

I always thought that people with an active malignancy where not thought viable for organ donation due to risk of passing on cancer cells, so I find the whole idea a bit strange.

[Le Chat]

It is definitely a bizarre idea for a 'show.' However, it does bring into focus the subject of donor transplant, which is probably the whole idea. There are not enough donors, so hopefully, this will make people think about the issue and perhaps start to carry a card.

[kwicky]

Maybe the family should be paid to compensate for the loss? In some countries you get paid for donating a pint of blood.

[anotheoldgit]

It has just been reported that the dying woman is not dying at all, she is an actor. It is all a set-up even though the contestants really do need of transplants.

Since the TV company who made this show is the same company that makes Big Brother, would it not be fair to assume, that the racist row that flared-up on the last Big Brother show, was also set-up?