Israel’s New Organ Donation System Gives Priority to Transplant Patients Who Sign Donor Card

Israel is preparing to implement its new organ donor system.  The international organ donation community is watching to see if the new system increase organ supply in Israel while some Orthodox jews feel that the new system is discriminatory.  

Israel’s new organ donor system will allow organ donors in need of an organ to move-up on the transplant waiting list, giving them a certain priority status over non-donors.  

A small sub-set of Orthodox jews oppose the new system because it discriminates against their religious convictions that prohibit organ donation before cardiac death (It is rare for organ donation to occur after cardiac death in Israel).  According to Aron Heller, From Israel, a radical way to boost organ donation, AP, March 12, 2010, some believe that those opposing the new system could delay, and even make uncertain, the actual implementation of the new system. 

In the United States, members of LifeSharers who are “registered organ donors can get preferred access to donated organs,” which is similar to Israel’s new organ donation system. LifeSharers, Experts praise “organs for organ donors” law in Israel, March 13, 2010.

See Aron Heller, From Israel, a radical way to boost organ donation, AP, March 12, 2010.