Executive summary: In this personal reflection and analysis, the author recounts their nearly year-long attempt to altruistically donate a kidney—ultimately thwarted by a diagnosis of thin basement membrane disease—and uses the experience to explore the ethical, practical, and emotional dimensions of kidney donation within the Effective Altruism (EA) framework.
Key points:
QALY trade-offs suggest kidney donation is not the most cost-effective altruistic action for people in developed countries, given the relatively high opportunity cost compared to global health interventions like malaria prevention.
Despite its inefficiency on paper, kidney donation offers unique emotional and moral value, providing visceral, direct evidence of altruistic action that abstract donations often lack.
The Finnish healthcare system offers a free, efficient, and thorough donor screening process, though it suffers from procedural bottlenecks, such as sequential rather than parallel donor evaluations.
The author’s diagnosis of thin basement membrane disease disqualified them from donation, but also led to early detection of a potentially progressive kidney condition—underscoring the unexpected personal benefits of the process.
The post advocates for legal and policy reforms, including compensated donation schemes and coverage for lost income during recovery, to reduce supply-demand mismatches in kidney transplants.
The author encourages others to consider kidney donation, not just for its direct impact, but also for the personal clarity, systemic benefits, and potential health insights it can yield.
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Executive summary: In this personal reflection and analysis, the author recounts their nearly year-long attempt to altruistically donate a kidney—ultimately thwarted by a diagnosis of thin basement membrane disease—and uses the experience to explore the ethical, practical, and emotional dimensions of kidney donation within the Effective Altruism (EA) framework.
Key points:
QALY trade-offs suggest kidney donation is not the most cost-effective altruistic action for people in developed countries, given the relatively high opportunity cost compared to global health interventions like malaria prevention.
Despite its inefficiency on paper, kidney donation offers unique emotional and moral value, providing visceral, direct evidence of altruistic action that abstract donations often lack.
The Finnish healthcare system offers a free, efficient, and thorough donor screening process, though it suffers from procedural bottlenecks, such as sequential rather than parallel donor evaluations.
The author’s diagnosis of thin basement membrane disease disqualified them from donation, but also led to early detection of a potentially progressive kidney condition—underscoring the unexpected personal benefits of the process.
The post advocates for legal and policy reforms, including compensated donation schemes and coverage for lost income during recovery, to reduce supply-demand mismatches in kidney transplants.
The author encourages others to consider kidney donation, not just for its direct impact, but also for the personal clarity, systemic benefits, and potential health insights it can yield.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.