Organs as prizes

The news that a Dutch TV game show was to give away organs as prizes to contestants who were awaiting organ transplants ended up being something of a hoax. The program aired in June, but the supposedly dying donor who was to give away her organs was healthy and there was, in fact, no organs available for transplant.

The whole spectacle was disturbing.It would have been obscene for the show to give away organs as prizes, but it was callous to raise the hopes of patients anticipating receiving new organs. The producers should be ashamed.

Sadly, we fear it will be only a matter of time until a television program really does give away organs as prizes.