A seminar in Wellington next month hopes to kick start the debate on why New Zealand has one of the lowest rates of organ donation in the world.
"We are not sure why the numbers are so low," seminar organiser Dr Rhonda Shaw, of Victoria University's School of Social and Cultural Studies, said.
"It might be related to cultural issues - reluctance in respect to cutting up the body and the desire to maintain bodily integrity in death - both for Maori and Pakeha."
As well as the usual crowd of academics and health professionals, it was hoped the April 7 seminar would attract a wider audience.
"We're aiming to include a diverse range of people.
"We really want to engage the general public in dialogue, so the seminar is aimed at all New Zealanders."
Included in the speaking roster will be people who have been organ donors and recipients who will share their experiences.
"There are some quite significant issues that we don't typically talk about that will be raised at the conference," Dr Shaw said.
"One of the issues which will be discussed by several conference-goers is the question of compensation for live donors. It's currently something that patient groups and professional groups have been trying to promote in light of us having a low deceased donation rate.
"If you look at the Winz (Work and Income New Zealand) website, what they call anonymous altruistic donors - those donating to strangers - only receive the equivalent of the sickness benefit. So that's a big issue for someone contemplating that kind of act."
In recent years hospitals have lost a major source of organ donation as road deaths have dropped significantly. Also, improvements to intensive care units mean people who would previously have become donors are now surviving.
"Sometimes people suggest that it has to do with the failure of health care professionals at the coal face to ask families properly, or their reluctance to ask. But that doesn't seem to be the case," Dr Shaw said.
On the positive side, advancements of technology mean it is no longer necessary to have donors of matching blood types.
Donor organisations and medical groups now encourage people to consider donating where someone such as their spouse requires an organ.
Seminar speakers will also cover issues such as organ trafficking and the new concept of "tissue toolboxes" - where cells can be used to grow replacement parts.
Associate Professor Mike Legge of the Otago University School of Medicine will be one speaker on this topic.
"I'll be talking about how we can use tissues to repair comparatively minor injuries in the body. Cells can be utilised, you can grow an achilles tendon, for example.
"So athletes could, rather than have surgery, theoretically have a replacement tendon put in because it's been grown and stored in a bank. Or (we could be) modifying pain relief through having tumour cells that produce endorphins which modify pain.
"Like you have a toolbox for your screwdriver or your pliers, you'd go to this tissue bank for your tendon or your knew cartilage for your knee.
"I can see within a comparatively short time, this would be a possibility, particularly for repairing athletes. So you might see people going along to the Olympic Games with, you know, a whole pile of freezer containers with odds and ends in there."
