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Organ Donation

The sale of human organs is illegal across the world. There are many diseases that can be treated or even cured with organ transplants, but these donors need to be donated by willing donors. It is illegal to solicit organ donation using financial incentives for many reasons. There is a high demand for organs to be donated, but disproportionately fewer available donors. For example, in the United States, there are roughly 113 400 organs needed every day, but only 3,300 available donations. This situation creates a higher demand than supply, which promotes a market for organ sales. Many people who donate these organs are poor people, which means that financial incentives would encourage them to donate organs. To regulate the organ donation process, governments across the world have set up policies and laws on how donations are done. For example, most donors remain anonymous to avoid compensation. Parties such as transplant organizations match donors to recipients through an anonymous process. In other cases where donors find matches on their own, there must be proof that there are no incentives given to the donor. The sale of human organs should be illegal because it promotes human trafficking, black markets for organs, and it is also unethical.

Because of the high demand for human organs, legalizing the sale of the organs would encourage human trafficking. Many people who need organ transplants in developed countries travel to developing countries where the implementation of laws against organ sales is more relaxed. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 10000 kidneys are traded illegally from trafficked individuals every year (Caulfield et al 28). The main victims of human trafficking are poor and vulnerable populations that cannot protect themselves from traffickers. Although these numbers may seem few, examining them relative to wait times for organs gives a clearer picture. For example, waiting for a kidney in Canada can take any time between 4 to seven years. Waiting time in the United States averages 3.6 years. This dire situation encourages trafficking of organ donors from developing countries so that their organs can be harvested forcefully. The sale of human organs should be illegal because it puts vulnerable populations at risk of trafficking. Traffickers use various tactics to lure victims such as promises of employment and financial rewards.

The second reason why the sale of human organs should not be legal is that it encourages the creation of a black market for organs. Under laws that prohibit the sale of human organs, recipients have to rely on national transplant lists run by government organizations. If the sale of human organs were to be legalized, a black market for the organs would be created to meet the high demand for organs. Dealers in such organs would find organs through unscrupulous means, and they would find many desperate buyers. In such a market, organs would go to the highest bidder. According to Global Financial Integrity, the black market for human organs generates revenues of up to $1.7 billion annually, but the figures are likely to be much higher (Scheper 117). Faced with the prospect of high returns, organ dealers will have even more incentives to procure organs illegally. Legalizing the sale of human organs would allow these dealers to procure organs and sell them for very high prices.

Crime rates and exploitation of vulnerable people is another reason why the sale of human organs should not be legal. Kidnappings and murders would increase exponentially with the legalization of the sale of human organs. Some organs such as the heart and lungs are in high demand but can only be donated by recently deceased individuals. For this reason, it is challenging to find donors for these organs, and legalizing their sale would encourage illegal harvesting (Cohen 37). It is impossible to harvest a human heart without killing the owner, and such harvest would lead to many murders. Additionally, many vulnerable people would fall victim to forced abductions so that their organs can be harvested. Most donors come from poor and vulnerable backgrounds, and legalizing the sale of human organs would affect such populations disproportionately. Legalizing the sale of organs would offer financial incentives to poor people who need money for various reasons. Corrupt brokers, hospitals and physicians would take advantage of such people and exploit them. These corrupt parties pocket huge profits from the sale of organs while the donors are left with little money. Most of these donors are also gullible and illiterate; thus, they are more susceptible to deception. Those who do not understand the laws and donor contracts can easily be taken advantage of. Legalizing the sale of human organs thus paves the way for exploitation of vulnerable populations, and such situations should be avoided at all costs.

Selling human organs is unethical as it promotes the commercialization of vital organs. Renowned philosopher Immanuel Kant opposed the commercialization of human organs, explaining that people should always act in a manner to promote human dignity. Various ethicists and philosophers convened at a meeting organized by Harvard University to examine the ethics of selling human organs. The main ethical objection brought forward by philosopher Samuel Kerstein is that legalizing the sale of human organs robs donors, especially poor ones of their human dignity (Caulfield 42). This step labels human donors as tools that can be exploited at the right price and denies the inherent worth of a human being. No amount of money can be measured in value to a human organ; thus, the sale of such organs is unethical. Another reason why the sale of human organs should not be permitted ethically is that it inflicts physical and psychological harm on donors. For example, if a person is kidnapped and forced to donate their organs, the whole process could bring serious psychological damage to the person. Additionally, some donors may suffer physical damage as a result of their donations, such as infections from surgery. In case of future health problems, organ donations may prove detrimental to donors. An example of this is a person who donates a kidney, then later suffers from problems in their remaining kidneys.

Those in support of legalizing the sale of human organs argue that it would save many lives. Many people in dire need or organs die every day because they cannot access the organs that they need. In many countries like the United States, donors have to opt in for organ donation, which is a deterrent for many. Donors also have to prove that they do not receive any compensation for the organs they donate. The process of becoming an organ donor may be daunting for potential donors, and they end up not donating at all at the cost of thousands of lives each year. Legalizing the sale of human organs would be a great incentive for many donors as they would see that the process also benefits them (Calandrillo 69). People should be allowed to sell their organs legally because every person owns their body, and they can do whatever they want with their organs. If a person can safely donate their organs and live without them, then they might as well benefit from such a sale.

Another reason why the sale of human organs should be legal is that some other products of the human body such as semen, sperm and eggs are already legal; therefore there should be no discrimination on what a person can and cannot sell. An article appearing on CNN’s website explores the issue of financial compensation for bone marrow tissue. At the end of 2011, a US court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit made it legal for donors to receive payments for their bone marrow tissue, for 3,000 USD (Parker 1). Plaintiffs in the case argued that such financial incentives would increase the supply of life-saving tissue and save the lives of many patients who die needlessly each year. However, this ruling came with some provisions attached. For example, the bone marrow tissue must be extracted through a process called peripheral apheresis, where doctors harvest tissue from the blood rather than from the bone itself. This provision allows for the bone marrow tissue to be treated as fluid, which is legal to sell. This ruling shows that the country should take a similar path when it comes to other organs so that many more lives can be saved.

After examining both sides of the argument, it is clear that the sale of human organs should remain illegal. Legalizing such sales brings many problems and ethical concerns which mostly affect vulnerable donors. Governments should take charge of the organ donation process to maintain human dignity and promote transparency. Government regulation also keeps patients safe because all organs are screened and certified as safe for donation. Donor rights should also be protected as some unscrupulous parties can take advantage of vulnerable donors for their own benefit. Although financial incentives could increase the supply of valuable organs, the potential risks are far greater than the benefits and therefore, it should remain illegal. People should be encouraged to donate organs out of altruism rather than any financial benefits.

Works Cited

Calandrillo, Steve P. “Cash for Kidneys-Utilizing Incentives to End America’s Organ Shortage.” Geo. Mason L. Rev. 13 (2004): 69.

Caulfield, Timothy, et al. “Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal and the ethical and legal obligations of healthcare providers.” Transplantation direct 2.2 (2016).

Cohen, I. Glenn. “Can the government ban organ sale? Recent court challenges and the future of US law on selling human organs and other tissue.” American Journal of Transplantation 12.8 (2012): 1983-1987.

Park, Alice. “Should people be allowed to sell their organs?” CNN. 28 August 2012. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/03/health/allowed-sell-organs-time/index.htmlScheper-Hughes, Nancy. “Illegal organ trade: Global justice and the traffic in human organs.” Living donor organ transplants (2008): 106-21.

Introduction

The US Organ and Tissue Transplantation Association defines organ donation as the removal of an organ or tissue from either a deceased or living donor for purposes of transplantation (Bramstedt 104). The removal of tissues from the donor and transplanting them to the recipient requires surgical procedures, which increases health risks for both the donor of the organ and the transplant recipient. In most cases, organ donors provide their crucial tissues and organs to other people prior to their death. Nevertheless, living people can frequently donate paired organs and like kidneys. The US government implements organ donation and transplantation using stringent standards and requirements (Cherry 52). In essence, organ donation offers recipients, who have limited chances of surviving from their ailments, a new chance to live. According to Farrell, Prince and Quigley (99), the demand for organ donation in the United States is increasing, with at least 112,000 individuals currently needing organ transplants. In aIDition, reported deaths associated with pending need for transplants have been increasing annually, which implies the significance of organ donation in saving lives. Green (56) argues that life itself seldom gives a person the extraordinary chance of sharing the valuable gift of life, and the significance of organ donation serves as an ultimate endowment upon humankind as a kindness gesture. Irrespective of an individual’s viewpoint or religious perspective, it is apparent that organ donation plays an integral role in saving lives and relieving pain and emotional suffering via selfless compassion of other people. People should become organ donors because the reasons for organ donation are grounded in the apprehension for the wellness of others without an anticipated gratitude in return. Therefore, people should donate organs because it bestows life not only to transplant recipients, but also to the entire society, implying that organ donation is for the greater good of the society.

The first, fundamental reason for becoming an organ donor is that it gives the gift of extending the life of another person, which allows families to enjoy the cherished moments with their rather dying family members (Brezina 74). Organ donation facilitates a generous and kindhearted future because lessons associated with charity and decency is achieved through the contributions and lives of recipients of organ transplants. Cherry (89) argues that bestowing such a personal and a crucial gift to people in dire need establishes standards of empathy and love for future generations to emulate. The inference from this observation is that organ donation helps to improve the societal wellbeing of both the donor and the recipient. In fact, the primary justifications for organ donation are that it helps in saving lives through truly selfless charity. When a person donates an organ, he or she is giving another person the fighting chance to live. The United Network for Organ Sharing reports that organ transplants have helped in saving at least 450,000 lives in the United States alone; this can be helpful in reducing the number of deaths associated with patients waiting for organ transplants (Farrell, Prince and Quigley 101). Organ donation is a form of selfless charity that can benefit people in need. Patients waiting organ transplants are somewhat needy because most of them are facing needless suffering. The US Department of Health and Human Services acclaimed that 48,773 patients were in need of kidney transplants during 2007 (Green 65). Therefore, donating a single kidney goes a long way in eliminating death and human suffering associated with kidney failures such as reduced mental capabilities, fatal heart rhythm disturbances and organ failures.

Organ donation has significant benefits for both donors and their respective families, and transplant recipients (Siegel and Eusebio 89). Donors and their families benefit significantly from organ donation include the power of saving lives and the capability to console grieving families. According to Cherry (145), registering for organ donation is an instance of a charitable nothing that has no costs. The donor can save about eight lives by organ donation, and save or improve the lives of about 50 recipients by donating tissues. Donors also play a significant role in consoling grieving families because of the difficulties associated with the loss of a loved one. Most grieving families of people who donated organs or tissues console themselves in the fact that their loss was worth by saving or improving lives of other people (Green 99). Organ donation has significant benefits for transplant recipients through an improved quality of live and giving them a second chance to live. Organ transplants are helpful in reducing dependency on costly treatments for survival and allow the recipients to resume normal lifestyles. The identified benefits of organ donation to recipients and donors and their respective families are a justification of becoming an organ donor. Overall, it is evident that organ donation helps in improving the daily lives of recipients struggling with difficulties such as disabilities, pain and suffering. Without doubt, organ donation provides hope to recipients. For instance, organ transplant increase the hope that a person will live a full and productive life. This hope is necessary for the future wellbeing of the society. As a result, massive registration for organ donation is the key towards the future wellbeing of the society (Bramstedt 100).

Another reason for organ donation is the considerable demand for organ and tissue donors in the US. Donate Life America reports that there are at least 86 million registered eye, tissue and organ donors in the US; nevertheless, there are at least 106,000 people needing organ and tissue transplants (Farrell, Prince and Quigley 105). This disparity is because not every individual has the ability to donate. In aIDition, the disparity diminishes the hope of potential recipients for living a better future. Organ donation has a large impact on the lives of the recipients through saving and improving lives. A single donation can save and improve many lives at no cost. With the recent scientific advancements, doctors have the capability to harvest numerous tissues and organs from the departed donor. In aIDition, organ donation plays an integral role in advancing medical research, which in turn indirectly improves and saves many lives. The US Organ and Tissue Transplantation Department points out that tissue, organ or body donation to a research institute, university or a medical facility provides scientists with an opportunity to research some ailments and their impact on the human body. Advancing scientific research can lead to the discovery of treatment and cures for formerly undiscovered diseases (Farrell, Prince and Quigley 115).

The reasons used against organ donation vary according to the individual because it is mostly a personal decision. Some opponents of organ donation cite religious reasons for not donating organs, whereas others cite that their family beliefs disagree with the intent of becoming a donor. For instance, some religious affiliations hold the belief that donating organs could affect the afterlife of an individual. Similarly, organ donation serves to impair the hopes of recovery in one way or another. Other religions and individuals prefer cremation instead of donating tissues, organs and body. Secondly, opponents of organ donation cite the fear of unethical purchase and selling of organs. It is a fact that a black market exists for some organs such as kidneys. Unethical trade in organs is prevalent in Iran, Pakistan, China, Ukraine and Bosnia, where most of the people are poor. In the US, selling organs is outlawed. However, organ donation can be a powerful tool for curbing unethical trade of organs and tissues and its associated implications such as infection and transplant rejection. Bramstedt (112) argues that an increase in legitimate organ donation will play a considerable role in cutting the demand for transplant tourism, which would in turn lead to significant benefits for donors and recipients. Most Americans are not willing to donate organs simply because they lack the knowledge associated with the procedure. It is apparent that most of the “perceived” cons of donating organs are grounded on misconception. For example, many people falsely believe that they have to incur the cost of donating an organ or that their family will have to incur the expenses of organ removal (Green 114). This is a fallacy because organ donation is utterly free and all costs are transferred to the recipient. Similarly, many individuals are avoiding organ donation on the fear that it will have an impact on their medical treatment. They hold the belief that doctors cannot try their best to find them if they are discovered to be potential donors. Again, this is a fallacy because surgeons engaged in organ donations are not the same with those involved in saving patients. The fact is that the life of the patient in front of them is ultimately crucial. According to Brezina (114), another fallacy that discourages potential donors is the misconception that organ donation leads to medical complications for the case of the donor. The reality is that organ donation has not effect on the donor’s life even after recovering. For example, kidney donors do not face any complications because the remaining kidney enlarges and functions normally. The case is the same for liver donation because it can regenerate and get back to full operation (Cherry 121).

In conclusion, it is evident that pros of organ donation far outweigh the cons that are grounded on misinformation. The bottom line is that organ donation helps grieving families, saves and extends lives, and leads to an improved quality of life. In aIDition, organ donation is cost effective, and a form of social responsibility to save others. Reaping the benefits of organ donation begins by registering to be an organ donor, which is a personal decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Bramstedt, Katrina. The organ donor experience: Good samaritans and the meaning of altruism.  Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.

Brezina, Corona. Organ donation: Risks, rewards, and research. New York: The Rosen    Publishing Group, 2009. Print.

Cherry, Mark. Kidney For sale by owner: human organs, transplantation, and the market. Georgetown : Georgetown University Press, 2005. Print.

Farrell, Anne-Maree, David Prince and Muireann Quigley. Organ shortage: Ethics, law and pragmatism. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print.

Green, Reg. The gift that heals: Stories of hope, renewal and transformation through organ and     tissue donation. Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2007. Print.

Siegel, Jason and Alvaro Eusebio. Understanding organ donation: Applied behavioral science      perspectives. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2010. Print.