Specialists call for legalised trade in kidneys

[Igor Suman]

" Specialists call for legalised trade in kidneys

 

David Spurgeon

 

As patients die while waiting for transplantations and the sale of organs on the black market keeps growing, a US nephrologist and his daughter, a transplantation specialist, have argued for legalising the voluntary sale and purchase of kidneys.

 

In an article published online on 15 February in Kidney International the authors quote the US Department of Health and Human Services as saying, “Each day, about 74 people receive an organ transplant. However, 17 people die each day waiting for transplants that cannot take place because of the shortage of donated organs” (http://www.kidney-international.org, doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5000262). "

 

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/extract/332/7539/443-b

 

Anyone fancy selling one of their kidneys ?

[Glider]

I think the worst possible thing you could do is to put monetary value on human organs. The second a thing becomes a comodity, people will flock to trade in it. The second a thing shows itself to be potentially very profitable, necessary questions stop being asked.

 

If you think these are just the words of a cynic, take a look around. It's already on the slippery slope. The alleged Chinese use of death-row prisoners; 'organs to order'. Also, the phony red cross at the Turkish earthquake where they found bodies with nephrectomy wounds and significant blood-loss (i.e. the people were alive when they had both kidneys removed), etcetera.

 

This and more is already going on and the trade of kidneys for profit is not legal. Do people really think that legalising such trade will enhance control over it?

[Igor Suman]

I think the worst possible thing you could do is to put monetary value on human organs.

 

 

Humans organs, and their replacements, do have monetary value:-

 

" If you lose one hand, one foot or one eye the plan pays $25,000 " http://www.mediaworkers.org/healthplan/life.html

 

" The cost of kidney dialysis averages about $44,000 per year per patient, using 1993 figures. "

http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/kidcost.html

[Glider]

Humans organs, and their replacements, do have monetary value:-

No they don't. At least, not legally.

 

" If you lose one hand, one foot or one eye the plan pays $25,000 " http://www.mediaworkers.org/healthplan/life.html

This is compensation, not what somebody would get for selling the injured party a new hand or eye from another human being.

 

Saying a person will get $25,000 for the loss of a hand or an eye is not saying a hand or an eye is worth $25,000.

 

" The cost of kidney dialysis averages about $44,000 per year per patient, using 1993 figures. "

http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/kidcost.html

This is how much dialysis costs, not what somebody would get for selling a new kidney from another human being.

 

Saying that dialysis costs $44,000 per year is not saying a kidney is worth $44,000.

[Gypsy Cake]

I feel that if a person isn't willing to give their organs for free then they should not give them. We musn't encourage selling of body parts. There would actually be people willing to sell an eye or a lung I don't doubt if it were possible.

We live in a reality where birth and death are natural. If your to die from kidney failure, liver cancer whatever really then that's that.

I am registered on the organ donar list and i gave blood for the first time this month, but we can't take advantage of people who are in the horrifying position that they have to sell their body to make money. It's bordering prositution.

 

{If this comment offends anyone I will immediately remove it.}

[Glider]

I can see nothing offensive in your post.

 

I don't see anything wrong with voluntary donation, but I do think the lack of donors is largely due to idleness; people can't really be bothered to register.

 

I think a way forward may be to adopt the policy of a few of the European countries who register everybody on the donor list and people can ask to be removed. It's just as voluntary; anybody who asks is removed, but in this case, generic idleness works in the favour of the recipients.

 

I think people selling their own organs is a lot worse than prostitution. That is not to say the people who are in such a bad position are worse. It's not their fault. It's the act. Exchanging an organ for money is a lot worse than exchanging sex for money.

 

It takes a long time to run out of sex, but we have only 2 kidneys, 2 eyes, 1 liver etc. These things are finite and living with one kidney, contrary to poupular belief, is very different from living with 2. Your life will be shorter, and throughout the remainder of it, your diet and fluid balance will need to be controlled carefully. People tend to have the idea that because we have two kidneys, one is a 'spare' . This is not true. We do actually need and use both.

[Gypsy Cake]

I mean, it is just my opinion but I thought it may have offended anyone who is looking to buy an organ but nevermind.

 

I think a way forward may be to adopt the policy of a few of the European countries who register everybody on the donor list and people can ask to be removed. It's just as voluntary; anybody who asks is removed, but in this case, generic idleness works in the favour of the recipients.

 

I agree that this would be a good idea. Probably, the only reason it's rejected as an idea is that people don't like feeling forced into anything.

 

I think people selling their own organs is a lot worse than prostitution. That is not to say the people who are in such a bad position are worse. It's not their fault.

I disagree in some respects; selling an organ obviously has drastic physical effects on your body. But prositution is so demeaning, it would definetly have just as much consequnce in a person's life as selling an organ.

 

And, by the way, I am completely with you. I do not judge anyone in the position that they have to sell their body (in any sense).