Selling body organs

clarebear · #1 (**permalink**) 02-16-2006, 12:33 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4719374.stm

Call to allow body organ selling

About 400 people a year die in the UK waiting for organs
Two US doctors have suggested the sale of organs such as kidneys should be legalised to meet the rising demand.
They said bids to increase the donor pool were failing, and a black market in organ sales was booming.

Writing in Kidney International the pair said, while it remained a taboo, legalisation should be considered.

But experts in the UK - where selling organs is illegal - said such a move was unnecessary and would exploit the poorest sections of society.

It is a tragedy that the critical shortage of organs donated for transplant means this question arises at all

UK Transplant spokesman

About 400 people a year die in the UK because they are left waiting for a donor, despite the fact that 13m people are signed up to the register.

UK Transplant, the NHS body responsible for the register, said in many cases organs were prevented from being donated because the families were unaware of the donor's intentions.

A spokesman said efforts were being made in the UK to encourage people to join the register and talk about it with their families.

And while refusing to take a position on selling organs, he said: "It is a tragedy that the critical shortage of organs donated for transplant means this question arises at all."

Eli Friedman, a kidney specialist, at the State University of New York, and Amy Friedman, a transplant specialist, of Yale University, said the case for legalising kidney purchases hinged on the fact that individuals were entitled to control their own body parts.

'Exploitative'

They said: "Strategies to expand the donor pool - public relations campaigns - have been mainly unsuccessful.

"Although illegal in most nations, and viewed as unethical by professional medical organisations, the voluntary sale of purchased donor kidneys now accounts for thousands of black market transplants."

The doctors suggested a figure of about £23,000 for a kidney, with an agency being set up to regulate the market.

But Dr Michael Wilks, chairman of the British Medical Association's ethics committee, said there was universal opinion against selling organs.

"It is exploitative, particularly for the third world, if you had an unfettered global market, and what is more it is not necessary.

"If we had more investment in transplantation services and intensive care and changed the law so we had presumed consent we could meet need."

What do you think? Is it exploitative?

Sarah · #2 (**permalink**) 02-16-2006, 12:38 PM

Are they talking about buying/selling one of a living person's kidneys or buying/selling someone who is dead's kidneys?

I think that it is unethical and exploitative. If one wants their organs donated, that should be done. But they should not be sold to the highest bidder-- so it won't be who actually NEEDs the organ, but who can pay for it. Imagine how prices will skyrocket...

clarebear · #3 (**permalink**) 02-16-2006, 12:42 PM

Are they talking about buying/selling one of a living person's kidneys or buying/selling someone who is dead's kidneys?

I'm not too sure-unfortunately the article wasn't very clear on that point. I agree with your points though, Sarah.

Mumfie · #4 (**permalink**) 02-16-2006, 11:34 PM

Sounds like they are talking about the living. There is a huge black market when it comes to human organs. I saw a documentary from India once where people were selling kidneys and while the recipient paid heaps to the middleman, the poor person who turned to selling organs were not redeemed much more than couple hundred dollars.

Sarah · #5 (**permalink**) 02-17-2006, 01:45 AM

Living or dead, selling organs is a really bad idea and should not be made legal, because then it wouldn't be the person most in need who is a match of a donated organ who gets the organ, it will be whoever can pay the most money, which will be horrific for people who need transplants but can't afford the ridiculous prices that result from people bidding over organs, and giving them to the highest bidder.

sweet pickles · #6 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 05:08 PM

The way I see it - my body my choice. I think if a person wants to sell her eggs, ***, organs or do anything to his/her body including abortion, piercings, etc, etc....so be it. I also have no problem with somebody donating an organ (like kidneys) to a relative who needs it rather than the next person on the waiting list.