Commercialization of Organ Transplants - Assignment Example

Pros and Cons of Commercialization of Organ Transplants Organ transplantation is a real breakthrough in health care service. However, it becomes more and more difficult to save people using this method because of a shortage of organs for transplantation. Commercialization of this process is one of the ways to increase donations and save many lives. In this paper possible positive and negative consequences as well as ethical issues of organ sale legalization are discussed. Commercialization of Organ Transplants Nowadays the development of technologies has made it possible to raise the standards of medicine to a higher level. Earlier people with fatal diseases which caused failures of vital organs were doomed. Today all of them have a chance to live due to organ transplantation. However, this practice becomes less efficient in course of time. The constantly growing demand for organs does not meet the existing supply of them which remains very low. To improve the situation some strategies are proposed, one of which is commercialization of organ transplantation. This is rather a controversial issue, whether to legalize it or not. A huge number of patients are now on a waiting-list for organ-transplantation surgery. Unfortunately, many of them die while waiting for a transplant. The research carried out by the SRTS (Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients) shows that the number of transplanted organs both, from deceased and living donors, has remained practically unchanged from 2002 to 2011, whereas the number of patients with diseases of vital organs increases constantly. More or less visible changes occurred in liver and kidney transplantation, while heart donations remained almost unchanged and pancreas transplants have even reduced. This leads us to the first advantage of commercialization of organ transplantations. It is an effective way to incentivize the growth of available organ transplants and save many lives. A few similar steps have already been done earlier. There is a widely spread practice of giving financial support to a family, donating organs of their deceased relative. For instance, money is given to cover all funeral expenses. This system was introduced in Pennsylvania in 1994 (Abouna). However, it cannot be regarded as buying organs, because technically the money is paid to various institutions, organizing funerals, but not directly to families. Commercialization of organ transplantation is a very ambiguous issue from the point of view of ethics. On the one hand, it is highly commendable to donate an organ to others, because it is a real “gift of life” (Abouna). Moreover, most religions, for instance Christianity, Islam and Judaism, have nothing against transplanting organs from a deceased person, unless he or she objected that while living. Since the body belongs to God after person’s death, but not to relatives, religions allow using it to save others’ lives. In this case commercialization will result in even higher supply rates of organs. Bigger supply will in turn reduce waiting time and, all in all, more people will get a second chance to live. However, on the other hand, there are some convincing cons of organ transplants commercialization. If talking about transplantations from living donors, the ethical issues are as follows. In case a donor is connected to a recipient with family ties or they have romantic relationships, the transplantation may be done not completely voluntarily. A donor feels the duty to do it, however he or she does not have a calling for it. Moreover, all living donors, who ventured to donate an organ, endanger themselves. There is a risk of death in any surgery, so donors, trying to save someone else’s lives, can lose theirs (Thomas). George M. Abouna claims that “organ sale has serious negative impact on all aspects and on everyone involved in the process of transplantation…” (2001, p. 63) To begin with, commercialization will turn human organs into commodities. It has already been done to certain renewable parts of human body, such as blood, sperm, hair and so on. Moreover, bone marrow tissue can now be sold in the US for about $3,000 (Park). But what about vital irreplaceable organs? Nowadays, there is a certain system of criteria, following which available organs are allocated between all patients. It includes geographical location of a donor and a recipient, blood group compatibility, age of a recipient and urgency. But if buying organs is legalized, the access to transplants will have only the rich and powerful people, while the poor will be forced to die. From the ethical point of view, it is more sensible to give an available transplant to a sick child rather than to a 68-year old man. Commercialization may turn this situation vice versa. Furthermore, in case of organ sale, alongside with the higher supply, there is a threat of coercion and exploitation of people. People from developing countries and poor people are exposed to risk most of all. In search for their own benefits, companies, entrepreneurs and even doctors may exploit the poor. It will definitely result in various inhumane consequences, such as donors’ maltreatment and recipients’ health threats because of low quality organs. To crown it all, there is a danger of violence and even killing people to sell their organs. All things considered, I believe that the sale of organs should be permitted, notwithstanding all possible threats and negative consequences. The disadvantages of organ sale do not change the fact that more and more people die while waiting for transplantation. If the science has made it possible to save people with the help of organ transplantation, it is our duty to make it work. And, to my mind, the most effective way to increase the supply is commercialization. I am deeply concerned that the final result, which is saving a human’s life, is worth all actions taken. This idea can be supported by the utilitarian ethical theory. However, it is true that we will face numerous difficulties on our way. I would like to suggest a plan of actions which will help to introduce organ selling policy and prevent possible negative impacts. To begin with, the government should create an official market, and people will be able to sell or buy organs legally only using this market. Quality standards of organs should be introduced to prevent exploitation of the poor and availability of diseased organs for transplantation. Moreover, some investigation should be done on each specific organ to prevent illegal supply and killing people. I think it is still necessary to take allocation criteria into account while selling organs. If several patients at a time need transplantation and have enough money to buy a kidney, for example, the organ will be sold to a patient whose case is worse, or who is younger. It is also possible to create a future market in organs. C.M. Thomas explains how this may work. According to his article, a recipient pays a living donor for an organ which will be transplanted after the donor’s death. However, this still needs control. So, taking into account all arguments listed above, concerning advantages and disadvantages of commercialization of organ transplants, I have come to the conclusion that organ sale should be legalized. Of course, some negative impacts are quite serious, but it is possible to avoid all of them. Provided that a person is motivated by an altruistic goal, he or she should be given an opportunity to donate an organ to another human being. And there is nothing wrong if this act is followed by a certain financial compensation. But only being under constant control of the government and social institutes, organ sale can function within the laws of ethics. References Abouna G. M. (2003). Ethical Issues in Organ Transplantation. Medical Principles and Practice, 12 (1). Retrieved from http://www.karger.com/Article/Pdf/68158 Data Tables (2012). U.S. Organ Donors by Organ and Donor Type, 2002 to 2011. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Retrieved from http://www.srtr.org/annual_Reports/2011/101_dh.aspx Park A. (2012). A Court Allows Payment for Bone Marrow. Should People Be Able to Sell Their Parts? Time. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2012/07/02/a-court-allows-payment-for-bone-marrow-should-people-be-able-to-sell-their-parts/#ixzz1zZOaGdEn Thomas C. M. (2001). Commercialisation of the Supply of Organs for Transplantation. Massey University Discussion Papers,207. 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