Such payment to donors actually rights a wrong, since donors can expect to pay more for their health following the donation.

As such, reimbursement acts to 'remove the disincentives to living kidney donation', the National Medical Ethics Committee said in a statement on Friday.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has suggested that providing reimbursement to donors could increase the number of kidney transplants here.

He plans to change the law early next year to accommodate this. The reimbursement is likely to be a five figure sum, but could possibly even be six figures, he had hinted.

The committee said kidney donation is an 'altruistic act' and should be regarded as a gift.

Supporting 'comprehensive reimbursement' for living kidney donors 'to save and enhance life', it said: 'In recognising the merit of donating a kidney to save and enhance life, the NMEC considered that comprehensive reimbursement for the living kidney donor should be allowed, lest the costs of donation operate as a disincentive to donation.

'Comprehensive reimbursement of verifiable and reasonable expenses of kidney donation does not constitute a payment for that organ, and may be viewed as part of the legitimate costs of treating the recipient.'

The committee also viewed compensation to donors as a 'financially neutral process' and said this should include any costs that the donor would otherwise not have incurred but for the transplant.

'Unlike gifts or rewards, comprehensive reimbursement is intended to restore the donor to his expected state, without any 'incentive' or net financial gain,' added the committee.

The committee said 'comprehensive reimbursement' of verifiable and legitimate costs of donating a kidney should be aligned with the recommendations of the Declaration of Istanbul and the WHO Guidelines. These could include:

- Expenses incurred by the kidney donor in relation to kidney donation (e.g. transport and medical costs);

- Loss of earnings by the kidney donor in the course of kidney donation and subsequent recuperation;

- Expenses following the donation of kidney (e.g. follow-up medical costs, higher insurance premiums referable to loss of a kidney).

The committee stressed that while encouraging living kidney donation, consideration must be given to the need for the follow up of kidney donors to ensure their long-term health and well-being.

'Reimbursement of expenses incurred by the donors on follow-up would serve as an impetus for living kidney donors to monitor their health following donation and would assure close monitoring of their healthcare needs,' it said.

'As there are concerns that post-donation care of the living kidney donors might not be effectively implemented for foreigners, any comprehensive reimbursement scheme should start with Singapore citizens and permanent residents.'