Pros And Cons Of The Kidney Transplant System

My grandfather was a lucky one, though he had to wait 5 years until his luck was fully granted. He was diagnosed with sever kidney failure, spent 5 years on dialysis, then was blessed with the option of getting a kidney… twice. Though the first time he had to reject because of the health of his wife-after her death, he was called once more with the option of having a kidney transplant. However, my grandfather is an exception, most people do not get called once, let alone twice, for the option of receiving a kidney. As of October 25th 2013, about 100,000 people were waiting for a new kidney in the United States. (SCU) Every day, 18 people from that list die along with 10 others being added. As of October 25th, 2013, out of the 100,000 people waiting for a new kidney while only about 10,000 received one; that means 90,000 people are either rolled over to the next year, or die waiting. The marvelousness of kidney donations, compared to other organs donations, is that each person is born with two and can sustain a healthy life with just one; simple facts such as this is what has driven the black market kidney trade to flourish. (CBSNEWS) However, if this is the case then why aren’t more people donating? Is it because they are not getting something in return? Why donate for free when someone on the black market will pay 10,000 dollars? The main arguments against black market organ donations, not limited to kidneys, is that people do not know the risks- yet if someone is

Thousands of people in the United States are dying each year because of a failed kidney, and have no chance to receive one. In “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by MIT student, Joanna MacKay argues against banning the sale of organs, but instead recommends legalizing and regulating the trade of human organs in order to try and save people’s lives. MacKay reports that in America alone, approximately 350,000 people struggle each year with kidney failure. Since there is no cure, and buying kidneys is currently illegal, this leads the person to search for other options that usually result in purchasing organs on the black market. MacKay states that a black market purchase allows the recipient to buy a fresh, healthy organ from a living donor without the agonizing process of waiting on a list (157-158). MacKay believes that both the recipient and donor would benefit in the legalization and regulation process and if this comes to pass, more organs would be made available for transplant and many people would get the chance to live another day.

“Kidneys for Sale” by Miller, Benjamin, and North is about the transplant donor system. It is explained in the beginning of the paper how it is against the law to sell or pay for organs, but it is legal to pay the surgeons to perform the transplant and the hospital to make profit on the operation room used. It is also legal for people to sell their sperm, eggs, and even their blood, but illegal to sell their organs. One can receive an organ as a gift. For example, if their parent decides to donate their kidney to their child, then that is acceptable. However, if one does not have anyone in their lives willing to donate an organ to them, then they are left no choice but to apply to a wait list. There are several waiting lists. Due to

The demand for organ donors far exceeds the supply of available organs. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) … there are more than 77,000 people in the U.S. who are waiting to receive an organ (Organ Selling 1). The article goes on to say that the majority of those on the national organ transplant waiting list are in need of kidneys, an overwhelming 50,000 people. Although financial gain in the U.S and in most countries is illegal, by legalizing and structuring a scale for organ donor monetary payment, the shortage of available donors could be reduced. Legalizing this controversial issue will help with the projected forecast for a decrease in the number of people on the waiting list, the ethical concerns around benefitting from organ donation, and to include compensation for the organ donor.

Every day, numerous people across the world stop their lives for four hours to get hooked up to a dialysis machine at a hospital nearby. This machine helps to remove harmful wastes, toxins, excess salt, and water from their body because unfortunately their body cannot do so for them. These people wait on a list until they can one day receive a kidney transplant because kidney failure has resulted in their body not being able to clean their blood properly. More than 300,000 Americans have kidney failure and use dialysis daily and the statistics are only continuing to grow. I am going to argue that the best to solve this problem is to legalize the regulated sale of organs to better society as a

Dying painfully in a hospital bed is not the way anyone wants to go. Unfortunately for many people, it is a reality. Thousands of people a year end up dying while waiting for an organ that could save their lives. While on the other side of the world, thousands of people die a year, but from infection when an organ is forcefully taken from them to sell on the black market. There are two sides of the organ donation list, and both can end in death. This paper will discuss the shortage of donated organs and the issues with the current donation system. It will also discuss the black market for transplant organs and possible solutions to viable organ shortage. The focus of this paper will be on transplant kidneys as they are the most desirable organ for buyers and sellers.

In the essay " Kidneys for Sale: A Reconsideration" by Miriam Schulman, kidneys are fair in our lives. The writer talks with important things in our lives related to our organs specificly kidneys. Everyday almost 17 people die when they wait for a suitable organ. In 2011, in United States, kidney transplants were about 15,417. They had a healthy way to transplant kidneys to other people. As they got it tested wheather if they can accept it or not. After transplangt there has been seen no harm. Ninty percent of people got kidneys from a living- donor and 82 % of people from died-donor. When they get it from poor people, they remain still alive at least five years. Actually the poor people sell their kidneys.

Over the years, kidney transplants have become much safer and easier to perform due to medical advances and new medications on the market and the risk for the donor and the recipient is very low. A person should have the right to do what they want with their own body, especially when it comes to matters of life and death. Selling a kidney to help one financially, as well as helping another person live a longer and fuller life is ethically correct. If a person can sell blood, sperm, and even pregnant women who are either surrogates or giving up their baby to a childless couple, have their entire medical and lifestyle needs paid for by the adopting parents, then why cannot similar rules be made for organs sales? Tens of thousands of lives could be saved if countries change their laws. Imagine what a true and wonderful difference in the lives of these people could be made.

It is an indisputable fact that under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, there is a larger demand for organs than there is available supply. As a result, people in need of kidney or liver transplants die every year while waiting. Under the current system, the only way to receive an organ transplant is either by having a family member selflessly volunteer to donate theirs, or by being put on a waiting list to receive an organ from the recently deceased. To combat this lack of supply, some in need of transplants desperately turn to the black market, paying enormous sums of money for organs that were more than likely taken illegally. Others die waiting for a transplant that was never realistically going to happen in time. In essence, the gap between supply and demand for organs is causing both a loss in quantity and quality of lives. However, changing policy to allow payments to organ donors would drastically reduce this gap, therefore decreasing wait time for organs and saving lives. The crucial step that must be taken to save these lives is to repeal the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 which prohibits the sale of organs.

In the essay “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by Joanna MacKay, kidney failure is the main topic. In her thesis, MacKay states that, “Governments should not ban the sale of human organs; they should regulate it (92).” The thesis is supported by one main reason: it will save lives. In America 350,000 people struggle each year from this situation. MacKay also states that with the legal selling of organs, more people will be willing to give up their kidneys. There are also other ways to save lives like dialysis, but this situation would only be for a temporary time period, transplant is definitely the way to go. People in third world countries are

In the article, “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by Joanne MacKay the author discusses how it would be beneficial if the government would allow people to sell and purchase organs legally and regulate the sale of the organs. Specifically she discusses the right to purchase kidneys from willing, living donors for people who suffer from End Stage Renal Disease, which is when the kidneys no longer function. Currently, transplant listed recipients must wait for cadaver donors or must purchase organs illegally on the black market from donors from third world countries in order for a chance to extend their lives. One has to wonder how a person can sell their sperm and ova so others can have babies, their blood and platelets to help cure others with blood diseases, yet are forbidden to sell kidneys that could potentially save thousands of lives across the world. In a country, that is a world leader

How would it feel to sell kidneys for money rather than just donating them? One of the many articles that Miriam Schulman, an assistant director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, has written is “Kidneys for Sale: A Reconsideration”, which was published on the Markkula Center Website in April 2012. What this article talks about is how there is a shortage of kidneys and people are passing away every day because of not being able to get a kidney. There are a few ways to fix this problem and one of the most controversial ways to solve this problem is to let people sell their kidneys to people who need them. The intended audience for this article would be adults who feel that a kidney market would be considered wrong and people who are considering donating a kidney.

Currently, the cost of waiting for a kidney transplant, in total, is 350,000 dollars while on dialysis.  This accounts to 80,000 dollars annually.  With more variations of kidneys due to a market for organs, this wait time can drastically decrease, thus allowing patients to save quite a bit of money.  If the transplant costs 150,000 dollars and the added compensation for the organ (15,000) donated totals the operation to equal 165,000 dollars, the average patient is saving over 50% of what they would have had to pay if on dialysis for the 4.5 year waiting period.  Therefore, the marginal benefit of creating a market for organs highly outweighs the marginal cost of the compensation and lives risked for not creating such a market.  The market would socially benefit the patients, and economically benefit the donors (as they receive money for their donation), doctors (as they receive more money from the transplant), and family of the patient (who will save a lot of money in the long run that they could put toward after care for the patient, or a college fund for their grandchildren). Additionally, creating this market would even the playing field a bit as people “cheat” their way to a higher spot on the waiting list by living in multiple states. It will also reduce the amount of wealthy people who go overseas to “cut the line” and get involved in illegal black markets. This market will allow the process to be more fair overall. The money involved creates an incentive for donors, yes, but it also highly benefits the patient who needs a kidney to

Kidney disease has become more prevalent over the years, one in nine Americans has chronic kidney disease, resulting in the need for a kidney transplant. Kidney failure is caused by variety of factors resulting in damage of the nephrons, which are the most important functioning unit of the kidneys. Kidney failure can be broken down into three groups: acute, chronic, end-stage. Once kidney failure is irreversible, dialysis or transplantation is the only method of survival. To avoid a kidney transplant, one needs to be aware of the pre-disposing factors, signs and symptoms, available treatments, and proper diet.

The waiting list for a kidney is currently around 93,000 patients. In the time in which a patient is waiting for a kidney, they often die or become to sick to undergo surgery. An increase in donors would allow for more people to be saved before it’s too late. A well regulated system would also serve to benefit patients. To increase donors the government could offer tax breaks for donors.