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LONDON - An influential British medical think tank is tackling the question of how far society should go to boost the number of organ and tissue donors, and is weighing a proposal to pay for body parts.
Nearly all countries are struggling to meet the growing demand for organs, with different approaches being tried worldwide. In countries like Spain and Switzerland, authorities assume people are donors unless they specifically opt out, while in Israel, people who donate organs gain priority for themselves and their family if they need an organ in the future.
On Tuesday, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics is asking the public for its views on how Britain should respond to the growing demand for organs, eggs, sperm and other human material in medical treatment and research. Previous reports from the council have strongly influenced government health policies and have also been referred to by other countries.
"How far should we go in encouraging people to donate an organ?" asked Dame Marilyn Strathern, chair of the council's working group at a press briefing on Monday. "Offering payment or...