In the field of medicine” The year of 2002” has been the year of kidney scandals in India. From South to north we have seen how the unrelated transplants trade has flourished. One after another kidney scandals haunted us. The few states that were exposed included Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Punjab.  As though this was not enough one racket involving Indian doctors  in England  has come to light and was given much prominence in the press. The kidney has truly been treated as a commodity and we have excelled ourselves in this field.  The traffic of organs continues to flow from the poor to the desperate rich. Some of us in the medical field continue to watch the pathetic spectre in silence. Neither condoning nor condemning it.

The kidney trade has never been better exposed by the media, for once no one can blame the media for not having done their home work. They dug up all the old records and brought out many skeletons from the cupboard.  The credibility of the authorization in many states has been questioned. The government in many states is on the defensive. Some prominent members feel that a PIL should be brought against the government, but  this could also  work against  the medical profession and do more harm than good.  The government’s first job is to tighten the authorization committee and regain some of its  credibility. The following steps if taken may help to some extent help this desperate situation:

1. The authorization committee should be issued guidelines on its constitution and how it should conduct itself.

2. Credible NGOs and members of the public should be identified and in rotation be allowed to sit on the authorization committee.

3. A pre and post operative donor counseling should be mandatory to explain about the risk of surgery and to find the true motive of donation.

4. A transcript of what transpires in the authorization  committee room should be available.

5. Formation of more than one authorization committee for states having many transplant centres would ease the load on authorization committee and give more time for the interview process. 

The ITN invites suggestions on this issue from others in the field on this subject.