The Sale of Human Organs

Today we are in great need of a solution to solve the problem of the shortage of human organs available for transplant. The website for Donate Life America estimates that in the United States over 100 people per day are added to the current list of over 100,000 men, women, and children that are waiting for life-saving transplants. Sadly enough, approximately 18 people a day on that list die just because they cannot outlive the wait for the organ that they so desperately need to survive. James Burdick, director of the Division of Transplantation for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services confirms, “The need for organ transplants continues to grow and this demand continues to outpace the supply of transplantable organs”. The

In the United States, there are currently 116,608 people in need of a lifesaving organ transplant, and 75,684 people that are currently active waiting list candidates (HRSA, 2017). Between January and September 2017, there have only been 12,211 organ donors (HRSA, 2017) which is far less that the current demand for lifesaving organs. The shortage of donors could lead to an individual looking for outside sources such as the black market to find their lifesaving organ. Offering incentives to persons who chose to donate their organs or those of a deceased loved one is important because it could stop the illegal selling of organs, save the life of someone in need of an organ transplant and benefit both the donor and recipient.

Since the WHO is not, in any way, going to lift the ban, and one of the most efficient ways to increase the supply of available organs for the thousands of people on organ waiting lists is to make some form of donation and selling legal, other options must be sought-after. By combining two opposing viewpoints it is possible for a whole new approach to this rapidly growing problem to transpire, for there may be more agreeable aspects than what meets the eye.

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.

Imagine you are laying in a hospital bed connected to multiple machines, IV’s and monitors. The only thing keeping you alive is the heart and lung machine, the team of doctors, nurses and specialist. Even with the help of modern medicine you will only remain alive as long as you stay in that hospital bed; attached to those lifesaving machines. Even with the help of those machines your life is not guaranteed. Now imagine knowing that the only thing that can save your life is a heart transplant, and having to wait your turn on a very long list to get one.

Another utilitarian argument is that donating and selling the argument is essentially the same thing however the donor receives a greater good and happiness in one situation than in the other. If the donor donates his or her organ without receiving any sort of compensation they leave only with the idea that they have helped someone and saved their life. However, in the other situation where the donor receives a compensation for donating their organ, the donor then leaves knowing not only that they helped someone, but they also receive a compensation to make them happy but to also encourage others to donate their organs as well. Therefore, the idea of having a waiting list will slowly diminish. The only way to better the economy as a whole would also be supported by the rich who would be spending money to receive an organ.

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.

The second alternative solution is a reward system of organ donation. People that donate organs could receive money in return for their donation. That money could either come from the recipient of the organ, or an established organization. A disadvantage to a reward system of organ donation is that, people would be donating organs for the extrinsic value of the act, instead of doing it to help the greater good of someone else. Another problem that could arise is that, people would begin to feel entitled to receiving an organ if they are wealthy or come from a high level of society. On the other hand, an advantage could be that, more people would begin to donate organs if they knew that they would be receiving something in return.

D. Thesis - Organ donation and Transplants are the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. They give hope to

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.

Should the sales of human organs be legally or not, it is quite difficult to find a satisfied answer to this controversial question at the moment. Although a large number of articles were written, numerous speeches were made, countless meetings were hold to discuss about this matter but until now it is still a big controversy issue all over the world. Thanks to the steadily development of scientist, technology and medicine treatment, nowadays human organ can be transplanted from one to another. As the consequence some people think that selling organs should be legalized but others claim that it must not be done because the crime rate will rise and only the rich benefit from it. However, I believe that selling human

There is a great controversy worldwide concerning the sale of humans organs. Some people believe that humans organs should only be donated but others believe humans organs should be sold. The way that people address this issue is deeply rooted in their beliefs. It is easy for people to be against the sale of humans organs who do not have someone in their family begging for an organs transplants. For example: Imagine someone close to you, or even a member of your family needs a kidney transplant. If, they get it in time, they will live a prosperous healthy life. Without this kidney transplant, this person could not have enough time, and would have a few weeks, or months of life. Everybody knows that being in the waiting list takes too long to find a kidney donor. Frequently, people have died for not absolving, or being able to get a transplant in the hospital. I personally, believe that it should be legal to sell humans organs because of all the lives it could potentially save. More people would consider giving the organs of the loves ones after they died if they were paid for doing so. This would decrease the number of people on a waiting lists for organs would help the families of the donors financially. Donation of humans organs would increase if people were be paid for those donations.

By America not allowing the sale of organs more people are suffering daily, there are less people donating organs in today’s time. If America allows legal sells of organs it could save many lives, and it also will show people how donations of organs is so important. There are millions of people that need an organ and many of these individuals are children. The question that comes up many times why should I? A parent would donate an organ to save their child’s life or even a friend, why do not more people donate organs even though the fact because it is the right thing to do?

Numbers of people are sitting in a hospital bed greatly anticipating the day an organ match is found. The waiting list for organ donations stretches for miles with a mass of people in line for an offer. Thousands of people die everyday due to the excessively outstretched waiting list. The need for organ donations continues to grow, but the amount of organ donors is not expanding the way society wants and needs. Organ donations can come from live donors and deceased donors. Some citizens believe people should be financially compensated for donating their organs, while other people believe donors should give organs because of moral values. For decades, professors of medicine have been attempting to deliberate whether financial compensation is appropriate or not.

Organ donation has been a part of this world since the beginning of time, many tales have been told that body parts were taken from one person or animal and was put into another body (Organ & Tissue Transplants). The first half of the twentieth century, doctors placed animal organs into human beings (Organ and Tissue Transplants). It wasn’t until doctors in Russia by the name of Dr. U. Voronoy, in the year of 1936, performed the first human-to-human kidney transplant (Organ & Tissue Trans). Although, the surgery by Dr. U. Voronoy was successful, the patient died after only two days with the new kidney. After many unsuccessful trials the with the transplantation of kidneys, it wasn't until Ronald Herrick wanted to