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A Dutch reality Television show put out yesterday evening which was intended to show a terminally ill woman choosing a patient to receive her kidneys was nothing more than a big hoax. The Big Donor Show had attracted considerable disapproval earlier in the week when outline details had been released. The producers said that the program was made to highlight the lack of Dutch donors.
The "donor", known only as "Lisa", was an performer, although the three individuals competing for the kidneys are genuine patients requiring kidney transplants. The choice was to have been made based on the history and profile of the "contestants" and talks that the actress was to have had with their families and friends. Viewers were also invited to send in their advice by text message during the show
At the point in the pogram when the choice of recipient was to have been revealed, the show's presenter Patrick Lodiers revealed that the whole thing had been a hoax. "We are not giving away a kidney here, that is going too far even for us," he said. But other’s think they already went way to far. Some have said What’s Next a Show about Blind Brazilian hookers who need eye transplants?
Political parties in The Netherlands together with medical organizations and kidney specialists had united in condemning the show prior to its broadcast. Joop Atsma of the ruling Godly Democratic Party had said "It's a crazy idea. It can't be possible that, in the Netherlands, people vote about who's getting a kidney." Professor John Freehally, immediate past President of the UK Renal Association stated that "the scenario portrayed in this Tv Show is morally totally unacceptable", continuing that the program would cause bewilderment and anxiety rather than contributing further to an understanding of transplants. He also pointed out that the set up of the show bears no relationship to the processes for making decisions about transplants in normal circumstances.
However, in dialogue after the broadcast, Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science Ronald Plasterk, claimed that the show was a "fantastic stunt" and kidney patient Caroline Klingers watching the show at a treatment centre in the town of Bussum praised it saying that it would be "good for the publicity and there are no losers".
Speaking at a news conference after the show, a producer said "We have only done this cry for help because we want to solve a problem that shouldn't be a problem", and this view was underlined by presenter Patrick Lodiers who claimed that it was "reality that was shocking" in that about 200 people die in the Netherlands each year waiting for a kidney where the average waiting time is more than four years. So maybe the Hoax is on us all Huh?
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