Alec Peltekian
Ms. Branin
Honors English 11, Period 3
5/31/17
As one life ends a new beginning is created for another. Thousands of lives are saved each year in the United States alone just by organ donation. With each donor passing away and donating their organs to those in peril, children with heart conditions or adults with liver disease are given another chance to live a new healthy life. It is the definition of charity and it gives so many desperate people the hope they need. However, such a beautiful and giving process can be quickly altered into a dark process for those involved with the Black Market. Many types or organs, often stolen from unsuspecting victims of Dark Web crime, are sold on the Black Market for large amounts
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This is the exact opposite reason for those operating along the evil networks of the Dark Web. The Web’s main priority is to make high risk deals and investments to bring the highest reward for its salespersons. The risk is run so high that is breaks all governing bodies’ laws in the process. Sites have been known to sell illegal organs for large sums of money including a “ heart [that] will set you back $65,000” (VICE 6). The purchase is simply just this immense fortune and no insurance or paperwork for the exchange. As stated before, the purpose of this method is strictly making money. The Dark Web is its own sick and twisted economy for those willing to do what it takes for money. Doctors must consider and weigh the ethical background of how they receive every organ from a willing donor, or unsuspecting victim.
Another legitimate concern in this field, is where the organ came from and the security one has knowing that it came from a healthy and well-suited environment. If the organ was put under harmful stress by the previous human, the organ might fail to function correctly. This is why organ donation keeps a large sample size when it comes to the volunteer pool. If someone does have a deficiency or disease affecting organs, they have opportunities to help as “one's medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissue can be donated” (MedLine Plus 1). This safe way of donation allows
Many of those who choose to sell their organ is either forced or manipulated by wealth. It is more likely for a poorer citizen from a developing country to be willing to supply n organ for a member of the upper class or for someone who can afford it, either through directly or through a broker. Brokers will do what every it takes to get what is being demanded. Some of the donors involved in organ trafficking are victims of body snatching or involuntary organ donations. Brokers will have the individual drugged and their organ removed without their consent to the procedure, they are also known for kidnaping poor and take whatever organ they desire and leave them there for dead. “Although estimates of trafficked persons are in their millions relatively few are identified” (Steinfall, T.M and Weitzer, R., 2011). Today brokers work with hospital staffs to locate poverty-stricken individuals to sell their organs for money. Some doctors often target children of poor countries in sell their organ in the black-market. In spite of its awareness, trafficking is still increasing. Trafficking a human organ is a growing profitable enterprise much like the unauthorized markets for weapons, humans, and drugs. Without the enforcement of laws against organ trafficking it is easier for an organ trafficker to buy and sell human organ increasing criminal
Over the last few decades, the number of patients on organ waiting lists in the US has continued to soar way above the number of organ donor. In some cases, patients have died waiting for organs from donors. According to available statistics, more than 100,000 patients are in the US transplant list waiting for organ donors. On the other hand, only 20% of these patients are likely to receive a legitimate organ donor and the fate of the other 80% lies in the balance (Rattenni 20). This shortage in the life saving organ transplant has led to a surge in illegal human trafficking cartels and black market vendor ready to exploit the desperate situation of these patients. In some cases, there have been cases of living donor ready to sale their organs for cash rewards.
If the selling of organs becomes legal. Who is to say that the donor will not be tempted to sell the organs just because they are in need of money, and lack the understanding of the risks that are involved, such as kidney failure and various renal disorders that could occur? One could easily make a life changing decision under, stressful conditions, especially if that person has high debt or if that person feels that, that is their last hope. Many choices can affect their decision; however each person truly needs to understand the “why” and the effects of donor donation and not just become swayed because of the deposit of monetary funds. A physician who donated his organs at the age of eighteen went on to regret it after doing research and he
Another reason why organ donation should be mandatory is to encourage medical and scientific breakthroughs. The Center for Organ Recovery and Education states that, “Research centers all around the United States are always in need of donated organs and tissues.” These donated organs and tissues can help cure diseases such as: Cancer, Asthma, Hepatitis, Diabetes, Neurological diseases, and more. (CORE) In addition, connectusfund.org states, “Medical schools are always in need of cadavers that students can work on during their training period.” Despite beliefs to the contrary, uwhealth.org, a website for the health program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, states that even if your organ isn’t viable for transplantation, it can still be used for research, including being used for medical schools as cadavers. These irrefutable pieces of evidence are yet another reason why organ donation should be mandatory in the United States.
There are 112 thousand people on the organ transplant list and 22 people die every day because they cannot find a match ("Organ Donation Statistics", 2017). In 1984, under the National Organ Transplant Act, America outlawed the buying and selling of organs. If caught selling organs illegally, those involved shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both (Prohibition of Organ Purchases, 2011). With organizations like Planned Parenthood selling the body parts of aborted fetuses, the compensation of organs has been compared to prostitution. (Gebelhoff, 2015). If organ donors begin being compensated for their gifts of life, the Black Market organ trafficking will increase due to supply and demand of organs which in return creates a higher victim rate related to the black market. Offering money for organs can be viewed as an attempt to coerce economically disadvantaged Americans to participate in organ donation even though these groups of people have been shown to be less likely to be candidates, monetary incentives for organs could be characterized as exploitation (National Kidney Foundation, 2003). The Compensation of organ donation is unethical due to the acts by organizations such as Planned Parenthood, black market increases along with acts of cruelty towards unexpecting victims, and the increase in costs to perform the transplants.
Everyday, twenty-two people die waiting for an organ transplant. Patients on the donor list are in need of an organ and are depending on it for survival. Some patients are on the list for weeks, months, even years with sno match. Comparatively, 6,316 people die every hour with viable organs that can be used. Doctors are not legally allowed to use these organs unless given consent by only the patient before death. If all U.S. citizens donated their organs, transplantations could occur and save thousands of lives each year. Organ donation should be required in the United States because of the significant number of lives that could be saved everyday.
The medical industry had been achieving more in the stage of medical advancements, though they are still in the early phase. Artificial organs have been one of those achievements. Although they have achieved such, artificial organs are not perfect. Most doctors as well as patients would prefer to replace a dying organ with a compatible human organ, rather than with an artificial or animal organ. Yet due to a there being less organs donated than recipients, artificial and animal organs are becoming more common in transplants. Most of this issue is because people are unaware of how organ donation works, the organs that can be donated, how many people are in need, and the advancements that have happened in the field. Organ donation saves hundreds of lives every year, but many lives are recklessly lost due to a shortage of organ donors.
Alexa was on the waiting list for two and a half years, patiently and hopefully waiting for a lung that would never come. Alexa’s parents were relying solely on the donation process for their daughters life, but there is another, more dangerous way to get an organ. When families or individuals are tired of spending years on a medical waiting list with no hope left, they may turn to black market body parts. Universal organ shortages have catalyzed a thriving underground black market for organs, where people can purchase kidneys, lungs, eyes, limbs, and even hearts. This illegal trade has generated human rights abuses, public health disasters, and transnational crime. Not only does the black market hurt the economy by creating organized
By applying financial incentives to organ donation, we get rid of an extremely risky black market system that endangers the lives of thousands of transplants and donors. With the elimination of the black market through the application of financial incentives, a reliable organ donation system is created. People are more likely to give their organs in a regulated, reliable organ market. Michelle Goodwin, Everett Law Professor, further states, “Beyond increasing the supply of organs, incentives for organ sharing will likely benefit society in several meaningful ways. First, there is an incentive to avoid buying organs on the black market. Black market organ shopping has the advantage of a reduced wait time but exposes the purchasers and sellers to numerous health and social risks. Too many variables remain irresolvable; the sellers ' health histories cannot be confirmed, unfavorable past social conduct is unlikely to be disclosed, and there is no medical follow-up. Nor can the purchaser be sure that the seller is a voluntary participant in the transplant transaction.” (Goodwin 11) Greater reliability in a safer, legal market will inspire greater confidence, trust, and respect for the organ system and lead to many more organs donated and many more lives saved than our current systems.
“Ailing, rich patients are buying kidneys from the poor and desperate in burgeoning black markets. Clandestine kidney-sellers get little medical follow-up, buyers often catch hepatitis or HIV, and both endure the consequences of slap-dash surgery” (“Psst, Wanna . . . ” 15). This dangerous alternative provides one example of why the current organ donation system needs to be revised. Another example is that some patients pay to register with internet sites that try to help find organ donors. One site, Matchingdonors.com, charges a lifetime fee of $595 (Postrel 124). Not only do patients spend unnecessary amounts of money on these sites, many who find donors get rejected by hospitals. Hospitals fear that strangers designating a recipient may receive some sort of compensation for their donation (Postrel 124). The refusal of sick patients provides just another reason why the current organ donation system needs to be altered.
How do you feel when you have to wait for something that you really, really want? What if it was something you couldn’t live without? Imagine you are lying in a hospital bed and you have no choice but to impatiently wait for that one organ you and your body are depending on to survive. Many people face this struggle every day. These people are waiting on a list for their perfect match… the perfect person to be their organ donor. An organ donor is a person who has an organ, or several organs, removed in ordered to be transplanted into another person.
The first argument of those who oppose payment for living organ donation is that once money is inserted into the issue of organ donation, it possibly creates uncontrollable and unregulated markets in which the poor, who ultimately need money, would be obviously exploited (Delmonico 2004), and in which the human body would become merchandise (Shapiro 20). Opponents point out that the poor are more likely to take any jobs that have a higher risk of death and go against their beliefs in a way they can to get money. Thus, it might be true that they would also be more likely to donate their organs in exchange for payment. Besides, rich individuals are able to abuse that weakness to exploit poor individuals to obtain their organs. However, these claims are highly questionable. When the government bans on the transfer of organs for valuable consideration, the international black markets in organs have been insidiously established and have rapidly developed (Friedman 746). In fact, the practice of those markets defiantly exploits the poor, because most of the organs are usually taken from the poor in indigent Third World countries (Shapiro 20). As an example, kidneys which have come from the poor in some parts of India have been often sold to the wealth in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Gulf States, especially, the United Kingdom and the United States (“Illegal Organ Trafficking Poses A Global Problem”). Generally, it is estimated that each year, there are 200 to 300 organs transferred
The ethical issue for the majority of people in the U.S. does not seem to be whether donating organs should be allowed, but instead should someone be compensated for their donation. As described earlier, the U.S. has a major shortage of organs and an even greater shortage is found in some areas of the world. However, countries like Iran have found a way to eliminate their shortage completely. “Iran adopted a system of paying kidney donors in 1988 and within 11 years it became the only country in the world to clear its waiting list for transplants.” (Economist, 2011) Although this sounds promising, it is important to look at the effects on the organ donor. In a study done on Iranian donors who sold their kidneys, it was found that many donors were negatively affected emotionally and physically after donating and that given the chance most would never donate again nor would they advise anyone else to do so. (Zargooshi, 2001) Additionally, many claimed to be worse off financially after donating due to an inability to work. (Goyal, 2002) To some, this last set of findings would be enough to supersede the benefit of clearing the organ waiting lists.
The legalization of organ sales has been proposed as a solution to two distinct problems. The first is the problem of illegal organ trafficking and the second is the problem of inadequate supplies of organs available for transplants. Gregory (2011) outlined the case for legalizing organ sales by arguing that the current shortage of organs fuels a black market trade that benefits nobody except criminals. He further argues that such a move would add organs to the market, thereby saving the lives of those who would otherwise die without a transplant, while delivering fair value to the person donating the organ. There are a number of problems with the view that legalizing the organ trade is beneficial. Such a move would exacerbate negative health outcomes for the poor, strengthening inequality, but such a move would also violate any reasonable standard of ethics, by inherently placing a price on one's life and health. This paper will expand on these points and make the case that we should not allow people to pay for organs.
In the United States, there are over one hundred thousand people on the waiting list to receive a life-saving organ donation, yet only one out of four will ever receive that precious gift (Statistics & Facts, n.d.). The demand for organ donation has consistently exceeded supply, and the gap between the number of recipients on the waiting list and the number of donors has increased by 110% in the last ten years (O'Reilly, 2009). As a result, some propose radical new ideas to meet these demands, including the selling of human organs. Financial compensation for organs, which is illegal in the United States, is considered repugnant to many. The solution to this ethical dilemma isn’t found in a wallet; there are other alternatives available