Preview

Selling Kidneys: Right or Wrong?

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
4565 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Selling Kidneys: Right or Wrong?
Table of Contents

I.

Introduction……………………………………………….. 3

II. Theories of Ethics…………………………………………. 4 1. Kantian View……………………………………... 4 2. Utilitarianism……………………………….……. 6 III. Objections…………………………………………………. 6 1. Altruism…………………………………………... 6 2. Exploitation and Coercion……………………….. 7 3. Slippery Slopes…………………………………… 8 IV. Solution……………………………………………………. 9 V. Kidney Market in Pakistan………………………………… 9 VI. Conclusion………………………………………………… 13

2

Selling Kidneys: Right or Wrong?
I. Introduction

Living, despite having a failed essential organ was a dream till 1954. Joseph Murray successfully performed a kidney transplant in 1954 and made the dream of many come true. Since then, organ transplantation emerged as one of the strongest branch in medical history evolving with itself a number of ethical issues. One of the highlighting ethical issues is whether a donor should be allowed to sell his organ to the recipient for money or not? I will limit my discussion on the sale of kidneys. Firstly, it is one of the major areas where transplants are taking place successfully. Secondly, the process of removing one’s kidney is not life threatening. Thirdly, everyone is born with a spare kidney; hence removal of one kidney will not affect his or her daily routine at all, as mentioned by Gill and Sade (2002, p.4). I also want to limit my discussion to living donors because obtaining kidneys from cadavers involves the issue of correct criteria of death which is another long debate. The current situation is that there is a huge shortage of kidneys. In 2001, 14,000 kidneys were transplanted, which constitutes 60% of all transplants. At the same time, 50,000 persons were in waiting list for kidneys (Munson, 2007, p.214). The kidneys obtained from cadaver are so limited in amount that we need an alternative for them. This is due to the fact that most of them are not in a transplant condition due to old age or any other disease like HIV etc. “Between 15,000 and 20,000 decedents


References: Benn, P. (1998). ETHICS. EU: UCL Press. Buttle, N. (1991). Prostitutes, workers and kidneys: Brecher on the kidney trade [online]. Journal of Medical Ethics 17: 97-98. Downloaded 9 November 2010, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376006/?page=1. Erin, C. A., and Harris, J. (2003). An ethical market in human organs [online]. Journal of Medical Ethics 29: 137-138. Downloaded 10 November 2010, from http://jme.bmj.com/content/29/3/137.full. Gill, M., and Sade, R. (2002). Payment for Kidneys: The Case for repealing Prohibition [online]. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 12(1): 17-46. Downloaded 8 November 2010, from http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/humanvalues/pdf/PaymentforKidneys.pdf. Goyal, M., Mehta, R.L., Schneiderman, L.J., and sehgal A.R. (2002). Economic and health consequences of selling a kidney in India [online]. The Journal of the American Medical Association 288 (13): 1589-93. Downloaded 10 November 2010, from http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/288/13/1589?ijkey =8e7178a6b6b6bd2da401592edd279b90eea280a3&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha. Jacoby, J. (2003, 10 December). Paying for organs would save lives [online]. The Boston Globe. Downloaded 12 November 2010, from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/10/12/paying_fo r_organs_would_save_lives/. Karuthammer, C. (1999, 17 May). Yes, Let’s pay for Organs [online]. Time Magazine. Downloaded 10 November 2010, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990984,00.html. Moazam, F. (2006). Bioethics and Organ Transplantation in a Muslim Society : A study in culture, Ethnography, and religion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 14 Munson, R. (2007). ‘Organ Transplantation’. In B. Steinbock, The oxford Handbook of BIOETHICS. New York: Oxford University Press. Richards, J.R. (2003). Commentary. An ethical market in human organs [online]. Journal of Medical Ethics 94: 139-140. Downloaded 10 November 2010, from http://jme.bmj.com/content/29/3/139.full.pdf. Rid, A., Bachmann, L.M., Wettstein,V.,and Biller-Adorno,N. (2009). Would you sell a kidney in a regulated kidney market? Results of an exploratory study [online]. Journal of Medical Ethics 35 (9): 558-64. Downloaded 10 November 2010, from http://jme.bmj.com/content/35/9/558?related-urls=yes&legid=medethics;35/9/558. Wade, M. (2010, 13 March). Kidney stolen at gunpoint: Indian labourer’s ordeal [online]. Sydney Morning Herald. Downloaded 15 November 2010, from http://www.organtransplant.com.au/organ-transplant-articles/2010/3/13/kidney-stolen-atgunpoint-indian-labourers-ordeal/. Wilkinson, S. (2003). Bodies for Sale: ethics and exploitation in the human body trade. London: Routledge. 15
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Nora Machado And The Commercialization Of Organ Transplants
    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Nora Machado And The Commercialization Of Organ Transplants

    Marketing of organs arose many other ethical issues. Authorities will not be bought and sold legally in the U.S., though, there is evidence that the "black market" for organs actually live in countries such as China and other countries as well. Allegations were made that the persons actually traveling to China to buy organs for transplantation. There was evidence that many of these organs come from the bodies of prisoners who were executed. Moreover, it was the only ethical issues, but so has the commercialization, which suggested a very unethical in most countries. According to Nora Machado, the commercialization of organ donation has a contradictory…

    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Organs For Sale Summary
    • 1135 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Organs For Sale Summary

    “Organs for Sale” is an argument written in response to the on-going ethical debate of a market-based incentive program to meet the rising demands of organ transplants. With many on the waiting list for new organs and few organs being offered, the author, Sally Satel, urges for legalization of payment to organ donors. Once in need of a new kidney herself, Sally writes of the anguish she encountered while facing three days a week on dialysis and the long wait on the UNOS list with no prospective willing donors in sight. She goes on to list several saddening researched facts on dialysis patients survival rates, length of time on the UNOS wait list, and registered as well as deceased donor numbers. While Sally is…

    • 1135 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot: An Analysis
    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot: An Analysis

    Many people are simply reluctant to donate their bodily parts. In response to the shortage, proposals have come forth advocating the sale of non-vital human organs.” (Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. " Organ Selling and Transplants." Organ Selling and Transplants.)…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Why Selling Kidneys Should Be Legal'
    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Why Selling Kidneys Should Be Legal'

    The trade of organs has been a controversial issue for a long time all over the world. The article “Why Selling Kidneys Should Be Legal” is published by The New York Times in December, 2011. The article is written in an effective manner to attract the audience and argue for the legalization of selling kidneys and compensation for donors. By using personal experience to grab the audience’s attention, with the aid of false analogies as well as rhetorical techniques, the article is relatively effective in sharing information of kidney trade and persuading the audience to legalize the selling of kidney.…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Hcs 335 Ethical Issues On Confidentiality Paper
    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hcs 335 Ethical Issues On Confidentiality Paper

    In some parts of the globe, there are ads roaming related to procurement of organs from individuals who are impoverished and destitute. The government and the public must be vigilant in exposing this black market trade of organ trafficking so as to safeguard the dignity, confidentiality, and humanity in general. The mainstream media must be cooperative in relaying to the public not only the positive implications of medical research but also the contrary, so that that knowledge and understanding of present scientific advancement and problems may be learned.…

    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Proposal Essay - Organ Selling
    • 1500 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Proposal Essay - Organ Selling

    While walking down a city street, alarming cries for help ring out through the air, and it is observed that an individual that appears to be living well has a helpless, poor victim held down, relentlessly beating them to the ground and taking what little they have left for their own advantage and benefit. What would be the right thing to do; run away or try to help, either by stepping in or calling the proper authorities? The morally ethical thing to do would be to help and do what has to be done to stand up for what is right. This same general scenario is happening not too far from this country, where organ brokers are victimizing innocent and poverty-stricken mothers and fathers trying to find a way to provide and get out of debt, by either forcing or deceiving them to give up an organ or cheating them whether formally or informally, after they agree to sell, by either not paying them for their organ at all or only paying a fraction of the promised price (Glaser, S.,2005). But the way that nobody tries to help is the same as walking by that same victim that is being beaten on the street. These poor victimized sellers that are turning to that option, unfortunately are completely ignorant to and uneducated on the process, certain organs in their bodies, or any of the functions or importance of those organs which leaves them wide open to exploitation. Therefore, my proposal is to find a way to stop these horrible things from happening to the potential and desperate sellers, by educating them, giving them other means that help both those who are seeking financial gain by selling, and those who desperately are seeking an organ to survive, and eliminating them from the black market organ brokers’ manipulation and exploitative grasp.…

    • 1500 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Buying And Selling Organs Would Create An Economic Class War Analysis
    • 1086 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Buying And Selling Organs Would Create An Economic Class War Analysis

    There are donors selling their organ(s) to gain profits. Basically, it is the poor who could use the money and thus, selling the organ(s) to the rich. The wealthier buyers would have the upper hand and can easily secure themselves an organ. Indeed it could help save the lives of the rich but how about the poor? Not only do the lives of the rich matter, but generally the lives of all patients who are suffering do too. Priority should be given based on the severity condition of the patient on the wait list, paying attention to the suitability of the organ from the donor to the patient (eg. Blood type). Possibly, the patient’s immune system should match with the donor in order to receive the organ, else it could go wrong (KidneyLink, 2014). If the above system fails, patients might start looking for alternatives to retrieve an organ and in this case, by the back-door option. Some donors believe that they can survive with just one kidney and do not mind selling away one of theirs to either gain money or to save a life (Castillo, 2013). The black market sales of organs has gone as far as social media where some are seen looking to buy organs to help a family member or some to sell their organ(s) to live a better life. Besides this, black market sales is the faster option as compared to being on the waiting list in…

    • 1086 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Pros And Cons Of Organ Donation
    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Pros And Cons Of Organ Donation

    Compensating donors for organ donations is one of the most controversial debates we have today. The shortage of organ donations in America is the one of the main reason there is a sudden drive to supplement the possible sources of organs. It first began with the move from donations of organs from cadaver to donations from living donors, and no the debate is rerisen, to the possibility of building a market for organ donations with a financial incentive.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Yes, Let's Pay For Organs
    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Yes, Let's Pay For Organs

    As everyone knows, there are millions of people waiting desperately for an organ to save their life's. Now a days there are countries like Singapore that allows the commercialization of organs for a really high amount. Even though; United States prohibited the option to sell organs for money, I believe that having the option to save other people by selling an organ is a very smart idea. In "Yes, let's Pay for Organs" by Charles Krauthammer; a political columnist, writes an essay to demonstrate that maybe selling organs for a low price would and may help to our society in general.…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Organ Sales Will Save Lives
    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Organ Sales Will Save Lives

    In the essay “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by Joana Mackay, kidney failure is the main topic in this essay. Honestly, I did not really have an opinion on organ sales. It just knew a bit about it. However, after I read this essay, I felt like I completely agreed with her argument. She argues that the sale of human organs should be legal. As we learned, some key features in an argument include a clear and arguable position, necessary background information, and convincing evidence. In Mackay’s essay, at the very beginning of the essay, she clearly states her position, which is “Governments should not ban the sales of human organs; they should regulate it.” Throughout the entire essay she gives a lot of reasons about why she believe that the sale of human organs should be legal. Also, she pointed out that there is a black market where people can purchase and sell kidney by a very good deal. Meanwhile “there are over 60,000 people on the waiting list for kidneys, and it takes an average of 10 years for your waiting to end”, in black market, they don’t have to wait a line for ten years. This is very surprising. This evidence stood out the most for me because I did not know that people have to wait for 10 year to get a kidney. Furthermore, in the third world countries, they are willing to sell their kidney, which cost about $1000. Sadly, because they need money to by food and clothing for their family, so they are willing to do anything to get money even sale their kidney. It is so sad to know about…

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    National Organ Transplant Act
    • 1469 Words
    • 6 Pages

    National Organ Transplant Act

    Every single year 4,000 people die waiting to receive a kidney alone. Thousands more die waiting on the organ donor list. It is the desperate need to survive that has caused people to do immeasurable things, even if it’s illegal. The organ sales on the black market is a very real thing. Obviously, there is a great need for organs, so is the global market for organ sales the answer? This is a complicated and delicate question to pose because many believe that a for profit system cannot exist without exploiting the poor and underprivileged. However, is the need for the market so great that society should be willing to take that risk? Is the fear of death so great, that you would go to jail in order to keep living? This paper will portray different…

    • 1469 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    organs will save lives
    • 911 Words
    • 3 Pages

    organs will save lives

    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 extremely willing to sell their kidneys because they need the money (94). MacKay points out that there is a black market for selling kidneys for $150,000 because it is illegal to sell organs in many countries (93). The broker who arranges the sale, takes advantage of uneducated poor people who are in desperate need of money, only paying them around $1,000 for a kidney (93). People around the world also donate kidneys from the good of their heart; these people have very good moral reasoning’s. She then goes on to talk about the pros and cons of this transplant and how everybody gains except the patient. The workers in the hospitals are paid to do the operation, the person who needs the kidney walks away with one, and the donor is left with nothing. The Government could also regulate this transaction to help make the donors receive money, this way there would be more kidneys up for grab. In her essay Mackay uses statistics and accurate evidence to get through to the readers how she feels about the cause and effect of this operation in modern day.…

    • 911 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Argumentative Essay: Should Organs Be Mandatory?
    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Argumentative Essay: Should Organs Be Mandatory?

    If it is morally valuable for me to receive a kidney, objectivity requires that the donation of a kidney to someone else also be considered morally valuable. The ‘organ taker’ must decide whether they would be willing to perform the same morally valuable act as they…

    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    “Describe and evaluate the ethical issues involved in Medicare-funded organ transplants.”
    • 2900 Words
    • 12 Pages

    “Describe and evaluate the ethical issues involved in Medicare-funded organ transplants.”

    In order to make the issues of ethics involving organ transplants, we first need to understand how clearly is describe the organ transplantation process. Organ transplant is a movement from one body to another. It is also a relocation of an organ from an origin site to another potential site. Introducing the possibility of an organ transplant in the medical field was a great achievement that helps many patients. However, that same introduction of organ transplant in the medical field has had so many ethical problems too. It is also a big step too that Medicare is funding the transplants. One of the many issues presented is that injustice in the distribution process. The problem is that may believe that the waiting list is not fair to everybody and the demand is way higher than the offer. People getting organs are a small percentage compares to the entire all the people that need one. Is it linked to money issue, or to discrimination? That is why it is imperative to find a solution to that fact. In order to fix all the issues that could be deducted from the issue is that how to find a way to a better distribution of the organ, also a how to determine who needs it more without the fact of money or discrimination concern by looking at the patient’s condition and financial condition. Organ transplants also are confronted to so many ethical issues like social, religious and financials.…

    • 2900 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ethical Issue of Selling Kidneys
    • 653 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ethical Issue of Selling Kidneys

    This issue on selling your kidney is not always a bad thing there are some people that really need a working kidney to stay alive. If someone is willing to donate a kidney I don’t think that they should be punished or charged with a felony to help someone. Many people are having kidney failure every day and they should not be turned down for letting them have one of their kidneys that they do not need to live when someone who doesn’t have a working kidney needs. Waiting for someone to die that is healthy enough to donate their kidney or any other organ it might be too late to receive the organ.…

    • 653 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More

Related Topics