government
Pay for bone marrow donors remains in place
Posted April 16, 2012
A federal appeals court in March declined to reconsider whether bone marrow donors should receive compensation for their donations.
In December 2011, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that bone marrow donors could receive payment for the donations. Bone marrow donations made using a technique called peripheral blood stem cell apheresis are not covered by the 1984 National Organ Transplant Act, the court said. That law forbids payment or any other compensation for organs such as kidneys, lungs or eyes.
The ruling was a victory for donor advocates who want to encourage more people to donate bone marrow by offering up to $3,000 in scholarships or other compensation.
The Obama administration had appealed to the court for reconsideration of its December 2011 decision, which the appeals court declined. The government now has 90 days to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/16/gvbf0416.htm.
