The article "Kidneys for Sale" goes into depth about people being able to pay for organ transplants from different points of view. The article identifies the potential pros and cons of being warranted to sell and purchase organs instead of waiting for an organ based upon a waiting list. Also the process of purchasing organs is compared to other countries that do not practice the same standards as the United States. It was pointed out that a number of medical procedures are done for payment in the United States, for example the sale of a man's sperm or a woman's eggs. However, in the United States it remains illegal to purchase an organ.
One pro that was weighed when looking at the idea of allowing organs to be purchased is the amount of people that will be saved due to not having to wait on an organ to become available. Organs such as kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, etc. would be inaccessible through the sale and purchase of an organ as well as paying for the procedure to be done. The article describes the costs associated with transplant surgeries, which can reach as much as $650,000. These costs are extremely high although they are not typically paid by the individual receiving the organ, but rather by the federal systems of Medicare and Medicaid or private insurance companies. However, that fails to include the amount of money the organ will total. Making it possible for organs to be paid for creates a potential issue. The article also points out that the person selling an organ will then be giving the organ for monetary gains instead of an act of selflessness. In addition, a black market is then formed for personal earnings, which would entail harvesting organs for selected people that could be a risk to the donor.
The article then addresses the strong need for organs. Unfortunately, 80,000 people awaited organs for transplantation in 2009 but only 16,000 were able to receive them.