US Hospitals Attract Foreign Patients Amid Organ Shortage

The scarcity of organs for transplant in the United States leaves many patients waiting anxiously for months, hoping for a life-saving donation. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. a recent investigation by The New York Times has uncovered a concerning trend: some American hospitals are aggressively soliciting international patients for transplant procedures, even as thousands of Americans languish on waiting lists.

One such case involved Kayoko Hira, the wife of a Japanese hotel tycoon. In September 2021, Mrs. Hira traveled to the University of Chicago Medical Center. Remarkably, she received a new heart within days – an organ donated by a deceased American teenager. Subsequently, the Times discovered that a charity managed by Mrs. Hira's husband made a donation to a nonprofit organization headed by the heart surgeon’s spouse. According to the charity’s website, this was the only instance of the organization donating to an American entity.

The investigation revealed that to attract these patients, hospitals have been advertising abroad, emphasizing reduced wait times and specialized concierge services. These efforts particularly target individuals from the Middle East, who comprise approximately two-thirds of overseas transplant recipients. Some hospitals have even formalized arrangements by signing contracts with foreign governments, establishing set prices for various types of organ transplants.

The financial incentives for these hospitals are substantial. An international transplant patient can generate up to $2 million in revenue – a significantly larger sum compared to what a U.S. patient contributes through private insurance or government programs such as Medicare. With over 100,000 Americans currently awaiting transplants and thousands dying annually due to the shortage, the practice of prioritizing foreign patients raises ethical questions about access to life-saving care.