Ethics of the Sale of Body Parts - Essay Example

These laws prohibit the sale of body organs but allow individuals to voluntarily donate their body organs (parts). The Uniform and anatomical Act is the most ancient law having been formulated in 1968, to regulate the national distribution and donation of body parts. This act offers individuals an opportunity to voluntarily donate their whole body or part of it, and hospitals and medical institutions have an opportunity to accept such donations (Organ Donation Law, 2012). This law allows citizens of sound mind and who are of legal age to engage in voluntary organ and tissue donation (Organ Donation Law, 2012).

According to the law, individual who expect to donate their body parts, must record their intensions most probably in a will (Organ Donation Law, 2012). The donation form should be signed by the potential donor in the presence of two other people. In case the dying patient is unable to write, he or she can indicate his or her intensions orally but in the presence of at least two people or; he or she can inform the attending doctor. However, the attending doctor cannot perform the actual organ removal or transplantation of the donated organ.

In addition, close family members or guardians have a limited legal mandate to allow their dying patient’s body parts to be donated. . , research and educational institutions; or individuals who meet all the requirements for receiving the organ or body part(s), the permission to accept donated organs. Ethical issues associated with legalization of the sale of body parts (Phadke & Anadh, 2002). Exploits the poor The legalization of the sale of body parts will lead to situations that exploit the poor.

Middlemen involved in the sale of body parts will end up obtaining body parts for sale from unsuspecting poor individuals at a cheaper price. With an increase in the demand for body parts, such middle men may end up selling the body parts at a much higher price. Jeopardizes human dignity The sale of body parts is an act that reduces human dignity. It equates the human body to money. It is morally wrong to exchange human body parts for money. Commercializes the human body Commercialization of the human body is an immoral act.

The human life and body are God given and cannot be commercialized. Deters altruism retarding the living-related and cadaver transplant programs The legalization of the sale of body parts will discourage individuals with intentions of donating their body parts to other persons in need. Such individuals may feel discouraged in case they realize that their voluntarily donated body part was commercialized. This will profoundly affect current cadaver transplant programs. Goes against medical professional ethics Medical professional are charged with the responsibility of safeguarding human life.

Medical ethics does not allow for the commercialization of the human body. Since the legalization of the sale of body parts will allow its commercialization, it will have gone against the medical code of conduct. Ethical Theories: legalization of the sale of body parts Ethical code of conduct lies