Trafficking Organs Case

There are a lot of people in this world that are going through organ failure. The National Kidney Foundation even found, “Every fourteen minutes someone is added to the kidney transplant list”. Statistically speaking, that is a great deal of people in need of a vital organ. The author Joanna MacKay talks about the need for organ donations in her article “Organ Sales Will Save Lives”. MacKay disputes her case briefly when stating her thesis in the first paragraph. She gives the audience her opinion on how the selling of organs should be built to become legal. Throughout the text she touches on the black market selling of kidneys. She also incorporates how other third world countries have allowed this practice of organ sales. The article includes her insight on what would happen if organ sales would be legalized and how it would be regulated.

There is no denying that organ transplants save many lives. Nevertheless a issue exists because the demand for organs surpasses the legally accessible supply. The selling and purchasing of human organs is illegal all around the world. As a consequence a black market has been created to help satisfy the need of human organs. The black market consists of the rich, the poor and the broker. The rich uses the broker to help organize the purchase of organs from the poor and arrange the transplant operation. Many argue that the simple answer to this is to establish a legitimate firmly monitored organization for selling and purchasing human organs and others argue against that proposed answer. In this essay I will list and compare augments in

“Illegal trade in kidneys has risen to such a level that an estimated 10,000 black market operation involving purchased human organs now take place annually or more than one an hour” (The Guardian, 2012). People that are in the need of an organ and willing to participate in illegal activities will either send a broker or go directly to another country where people are lacking in the knowledge of the situation or have an extreme disability and buy an organ rom that individual. In most cases a broker will promise the seller a great amount of money, but in the end they will only receive a fraction of the money that was promised and for some they receive no money. If a broker cannot buy an organ they will steal one. “However, when the organ, like many other valuables that cannot be bought, it is stolen resulting in flagrant violation of human rights” (U.N.O.D.C, 2000). It is currently illegal to buy or sell human organ in the United States and many other countries. People involved with the operation of human trafficking will be charged with a trafficking offence. “For a trafficking offence to be established must be evidence of an illegal act (recruitment) followed by an illegal means (coercion) for the purpose of exploitation (organ harvesting), one in ten organ transplants are illegal” (U.N.O.D.C, 2000). Illegal sales of organs are increasing the rate of criminal

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.

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.

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.

More than 110,000 people are on waiting lists for organs they may not ever get in time (mantel). This has caused an organ black market in which people are trading their or other individuals’ organs for illegal money. In case making criminals out of normal people. In 2009, the FBI arrested a Brooklyn rabbi for illegal organ trade, he was buying organs from overseas for a mere ten thousand dollars and selling here in the black market for upwards of one hundred sixty thousand (Krauthammer). An organ trade of some sort needs to become legal and people need chances to be compensated for their organs. Also with the market becoming legal, patients will be in better hands pre-operation and post-operation.

The most significant problem regarding the sale of organs is the advantage some people are taking of the sellers who need money. Unfulfilled promises or low pays once the transplant is done

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.

As NBC13.com news points out “everyday seventeen people die waiting for organ transplants.” These deaths could simply be prevented by having a system in place that could provide a service to these helpless individuals. According to this site, there are 120,000 people still waiting for organs, nationwide; 30,000 of them are African Americans. But when it comes down to the issue of free trade of human organs, the majority of American citizens will consider it a controversial and ethical issue. There could be a large group of people supporting each side of this argument. However, only those who want to sell their organs and those who need the

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.

There is a well-established industry for the buying and selling of organs to those who are in dire need of a transplant, both legally and illegally, in many different countries. The legalization of the sale of organs in the United States would have serious consequences and raises many ethical dilemmas- regardless of religious beliefs. There are several ideas presented in this paper that present the issues that have hindered the progression of the legalization of organs. Currently, there is an organ waiting list of 123,897 patients on the organ recipient list ,the number of transplant that have actually occurred in January - August 2014 are 19,426 (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network). There is no denying that there is a significant gap between the number of transplant surgeries performed and those awaiting a donor. The ever growing need for these lifesaving organs is clear, but to allow human beings to sell parts of their body is not the solution to this complex problem.

Imagine yourself in a situation where you are literally dying for an organ and the hospital is unable to supply you with the organ that could save your life. Would you rather suffer in pain or would you turn to the black market to live? Picture yourself in the poorest place in America and you have a perfectly functioning organ and you need to make money fast or else you will be evicted from your home, would you rather wait another few weeks to get your paycheck, or would you sell the organ? These are just some of the situations black market donors and recipients have to deal with. Black market organ selling can be defined as purchasing, selling, or obtaining any organ in an illegal manner and some claim that black market organ trade is unethical. Black Market organ trade should be allowed because this can benefit the donor and the patient in many ways. Unfortunately, where there is a black market, there are crimes involved. Although Black Market Organ selling does have a lot of risks and is illegal, patients should be allowed to turn to them when they are in need of immediate emergency care and are

If the black market stopped and the legal market of organ trading started, the only people who will be able to have the procedure done would be the wealthy. The United Network of Organs reported that the average cost that is billed to the insurance companies for the first year of transplantation is $262,000. Think of those who do not have insurance. Do we make it available to anyone so they can have the same equal right to medical coverage? The cost that was reported includes people who donated their organs, but also organs that came from cadavers. The medical cost of pre-operation, surgery and post-operation of the organ seller will be just as expensive as the organ receiver, because you medically treat them the same way as you would the receiver of the organ. This will cause a drastic rise of healthcare cost for everyone involved. In the article, “Should the Purchase and Sale of Organs for transplant Surgery be Permitted”, by Gary Becker of 2006, argued that the medical cost overall for a transplant in the U.S. would not be huge after legalizing the sale of organs, because once we legalize the sale of the organs then the demand would go down, thus resulting in settling cost of each organ sold. However, the cost of the organ of itself should not be included in the cost of the actual procedure. It isn’t now. Even with the donations and cadavers organs, the cost of each transplant each year is a staggering cost over $260,00 for the first year. If we legalized organ trading, their want be need for someone to be a donner or a cadaver. Everyone, more than likely, will sell off their organs before they die for multiple reasons that will have long lasting

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.