Should Markets Be Allowed to Solve the Shortage in Body Parts?.
The issue that we bring before you today is that of the shortage of organs and tissues for transplants. The reason we bring this issue up is because some people think that body parts and organs should be sold on a market while others do not. Right now in the U.S. and around the world, with exceptions of some places, the organ shortage is a growing issue. It is a huge and growing concern because there are more people added to the waiting lists every year and not enough donors. The U.S. has a current system of goodwill giving, but this system is not providing a sufficient amount of organs and tissues to help with the shortage. There is a desperate need for a new program or way of obtaining organs and body parts to be developed. The question arises as to how this shortage should be handled. How do we, as a nation, solve this ever present, life-threatening issue?.
Organ donation shortage should be a concern of every American. Right now there are more then 100,000 people on the waiting lists for transplants, but only about 1 out of 10 will receive the needed organ donation to save their life. Lives are being lost that through increased donation of organs could easily be saved. All Americans should care and take an interest in solving this dilemma because the fact is, that we do not know if at anytime if anyone we know or ourselves will be one of those in need of a transplant or skin graph. The fact is that there is a consistent demand for organs and tissues. We have to choose between two sets of values: .
1. The value we place in preventing death and alleviating suffering,.
2. The values we place on respect for human dignity, and our commitment to meeting human needs in a fair equitable manner.
The first of the major possible solutions to this growing concern is that of the idea of offering of incentives. It is felt, by some, that the donor's families should be offered compensation towards the funeral expenses of the donor.