Read the USA Today article to find out more about the reality show which turned out to be a hoax in the Netherlands. All of the “contestants” were in on it, and the producers’ goal was to raise awareness about the need for organ donation and also to pressure the government to adopt better legislation in this area.

The exact theme and procedure of the show, quite frankly, strike me as kind of sick, but at the same time, the situation for those in need of transplants is in fact dire – and the article quotes some in need of transplants who thought the net result of the show was positive.

One possible negative result is along the lines of “the boy who cried wolf”: people may be more skeptical in the future of news in this field, though of course it does seem clear that the need for transplants is very real. Changes in public opinion are hard to measure accurately, especially following a secretly planned scenario like this one, but I do wonder if this can make or has made a positive impact in the field of organ donation in the Netherlands. If so – do the ends justify the means?