The story about kidney theft is a hoax, but it does have a good moral:
don't accept drinks from strangers.
here's a note from the National Kidney Foundation of Georgia which
hopefully dispels this myth:
Jim
ps sorry for bombing the list, but I hate seeing hoaxes spread!
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The National Kidney Foundation Dispels Rumors
About Illegally Harvested Kidneys
February 20, 1997, New York, NY--A persistent rumor that has been
circulating for the past ten years
has recently been reborn on the Internet: a business traveler has a
drink with a stranger and wakes up in
a tub full of ice, minus both kidneys.
The foundation has received calls from concerned business travelers
who have been warned by their
travel agents to beware of this "crime ring" when traveling. "It's
an urban myth run amok," says Dr.
Wendy Brown, chairman of the National Kidney Foundation. "There is
no evidence that such activity has
ever occurred in the United States," explains Dr. Brown.
Although this story is unfounded and untrue, many who hear it
believe that this could really happen. "It is
unfortunate when inaccurate information is reported about the organ
donor process," states Dr. Brown.
"In truth, transplanting a kidney from a living donor involves
numerous tests for compatibility that must be
performed before the kidney is removed. So it's highly unlikely
that a gang could operate in secrecy to
recover organs that would be viable for a transplant," Dr. Brown
explains.
The much traveled e-mail message gives specific details about
incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas,
with embellishments by other Internet users that seem to give
credence to the story, but none of the
supposed victims is ever identified. In an effort to dispel this
urban myth, the National Kidney Foundation
is asking any individual who claims to have had his or her kidneys
illegally removed to step forward and
contact the foundation.
Dr. Brown is concerned that the unfortunate rumors will affect the
public's willingness to become organ
donors at a time when more than 50,000 Americans are awaiting
life-saving organ transplants and nine to
10 people on the waiting list die each day. She urges the public to
call the National Kidney Foundation at
1-800-622-9010 for accurate information about the organ donor
process and to receive a free organ
donor card.
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