Selling body parts, should the courts in America make it legal? Would that be unethical? This is controversial, the issue of organ sales, it is often difficult to discuss the issue rationally, and leave out the emotions. The selling of ones organs sounds almost beyond belief. The Idea suggests the world of horror movies and grave robbers. Should people be allowed to sell their body parts? Who makes the money on the donations right now? The heath care system. Billions of dollars change hands, but the person who is making it possible is forbidden from being compensated. Should they be compensated? The demand for human body parts greatly out ways the supply. There is a continuing global shortage of organs, plus the long waiting list for organ transplants. The buying and selling of vital organs is illegal in most developed countries. Sally Satel talks about China's black market, you can get a new kidney or liver in a matter of days or weeks. This speed is unheard of in countries without black markets. Satel states that the wait for a deceased-donor is years long. In desperation, patients go underground. Satel says people feel organ sales are a filthy business, like sex trade or child pornography, but she says it's not. Satel talks about even in countries with much better records of deceased organ donations the shortfalls are dramatic. .
For instance in the US alone, according to the National Kidney Foundation, over 95,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant, with another 4,000 added every month. It also states that in 2006 more than 6,000 people died waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. (Published in U:Bodies for Sale Philosophy Talk.mht August 13, 2010.) Satel talks about China, and how the government in 2007 began licensing transplant centers in an effort to raise standards. Only 163 out of 600 are authorized to perform operations. She states that last year 1.5 million Chinese needed kidneys, livers, lungs, and hearts, but only 10,000 received them, mostly through illicit means.
