Dr. Arthur Matas is on a mission: He’s trying to make the case for organ sales. While he admits the idea takes a little getting used to, he says it shouldn’t be written off as taboo.

“There’s one clear argument for sales,” Dr. Matas told a gathering of surgeons earlier this year. The practice, currently illegal in the U.S., “would increase the supply of kidneys, save lives and improve the quality of life for those with end-stage renal disease.”

But not everyone agrees.

Among his opponents on the issue is a friend and colleague, Francis Delmonico. A Harvard University professor who has played a central role in shaping national transplant policy, the 62-year-old physician has several objections to organ sales. He fears such a system would attract the poor, vulnerable and unhealthy, and that altruistic donations might wither away.

“Payments eventually result in the exploitation of the individual,” says Dr. Delmonico, who also worries about encouraging black-market sales both here and in developing countries. “It’s the poor person who sells.”

Where do you stand on this controversial issue–and would you ever consider selling an organ for profit?