Human Organ = Profit.

[BIGSTIC]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080505/ap_ ... rgan_trade

SYDNEY, Australia - An Australian doctor proposed Monday that the government pay up to $47,000 for kidney donations to overcome a chronic shortage.

So $47k seems a little low but what really is the problem with selling organs. I currently sell my plasma for about $200/month. I know plasma =/= kidney but the main reason in the artical that people opose the selling of human organs is that it will hurt the poor. I dont buy it. I am an organ donner on my DL and if I ever met somebodey who needed a kidney/liver I would be willing to try to help. But I make a good wage and if I could sell a kidney/liver for $100k I would be first on the list to sign up for a complete stranger.

Thoughts?

[Correction]

47k is pretty low considering what happens to you the rest of your life with only one functioning kidney. Even if you make a lot of money 100k won't get you very far in this day and age.

[shihei]

Too low, especially if it's in USD.

[wintersquall]

47k? shit.



if i give up a major fucking organ voluntarily, it better buy me a house and land - because odds are i'm not going to be around to enjoy it as long as mikey next door.

[Khamsin]

It's nothing new, people in Pakistan have been doing it for a while.

[Kwijiboe]

http://www.frogstylebiscuit.com/imag...ay/charlie.gif

[BIGSTIC]

Yeah 100k might seem low but I would hope they toss in free insurance for the rest of your life if anything happens due to you only having one kidney. Plus I would want my wages covered for the time I was out of work due to the operation. And toss in a nice Life insurance policy for the family if I die on the operating table or due to complications.

So what would an organ go for in USA?

[Khamsin]

Yeah 100k might seem low but I would hope they toss in free insurance for the rest of your life if anything happens due to you only having one kidney. Plus I would want my wages covered for the time I was out of work due to the operation. And toss in a nice Life insurance policy for the family if I die on the operating table or due to complications.

So what would an organ go for in USA?

Above board or black market value?

[Pirian]

The problem with it is possible exploitation of the poor. There really just isn't any way around it. While I agree that something needs to be done about the chronic shortage or organs, that something definitly is not selling organs. Yeah, it's your organs and your choice, but lets see? If you're a mother/father of a young child who desperatly needs X or the child will die, most parents will do whatever it takes to get X done. Now if you just happen to be in poverty with absolutely no way to pay for it but suddenly you can sell Y organ to help pay for X, well then all the sudden it's not as much of a choice now is it? Some people will say that there is still a choice, but there really isn't.

(Sorry about the X's and Y's ... Just came from finals and that's about all I can think of right now)

[Khamsin]

The problem with it is possible exploitation of the poor. There really just isn't any way around it. While I agree that something needs to be done about the chronic shortage or organs, that something definitly is not selling organs. Yeah, it's your organs and your choice, but lets see? If you're a mother/father of a young child who desperatly needs X or the child will die, most parents will do whatever it takes to get X done. Now if you just happen to be in poverty with absolutely no way to pay for it but suddenly you can sell Y organ to help pay for X, well then all the sudden it's not as much of a choice now is it? Some people will say that there is still a choice, but there really isn't.

(Sorry about the X's and Y's ... Just came from finals and that's about all I can think of right now)

So making available a particular route that wasn't available before is exploitation of those who previously just had to deal with it and let their family die?

[Mizango]

Yeah 100k might seem low but I would hope they toss in free insurance for the rest of your life if anything happens due to you only having one kidney. Plus I would want my wages covered for the time I was out of work due to the operation. And toss in a nice Life insurance policy for the family if I die on the operating table or due to complications.

So what would an organ go for in USA?

I know some people that would trade an organ for a QP of weed or a fucking Playstation 3. Don't take Americanized greed 4

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

20 people a day due to not getting an organ transplant. I bet that number would be a little less if people could sell their organs.

[Pirian]

The problem with it is possible exploitation of the poor. There really just isn't any way around it. While I agree that something needs to be done about the chronic shortage or organs, that something definitly is not selling organs. Yeah, it's your organs and your choice, but lets see? If you're a mother/father of a young child who desperatly needs X or the child will die, most parents will do whatever it takes to get X done. Now if you just happen to be in poverty with absolutely no way to pay for it but suddenly you can sell Y organ to help pay for X, well then all the sudden it's not as much of a choice now is it? Some people will say that there is still a choice, but there really isn't.

(Sorry about the X's and Y's ... Just came from finals and that's about all I can think of right now)

So making available a particular route that wasn't available before is exploitation of those who previously just had to deal with it and let their family die?

Yes.

This is just as much exploitation of the poor as the draft is.

[Khamsin]

The problem with it is possible exploitation of the poor. There really just isn't any way around it. While I agree that something needs to be done about the chronic shortage or organs, that something definitly is not selling organs. Yeah, it's your organs and your choice, but lets see? If you're a mother/father of a young child who desperatly needs X or the child will die, most parents will do whatever it takes to get X done. Now if you just happen to be in poverty with absolutely no way to pay for it but suddenly you can sell Y organ to help pay for X, well then all the sudden it's not as much of a choice now is it? Some people will say that there is still a choice, but there really isn't.

(Sorry about the X's and Y's ... Just came from finals and that's about all I can think of right now)

So making available a particular route that wasn't available before is exploitation of those who previously just had to deal with it and let their family die?

Yes.

Then just simply only allow people above a certain income bracket to sell their organs.

[Pirian]

Sorry edited my post like 2 seconds after I posted it because I didn't say all I wanted to in it. The problem with that is people will find a way around it, and after a certain income there is no need to sell your organ. I really don't see how this could benefit anyone other than the upper middle-upper class because they are the only ones(with rare exceptions) who will be recieving the organs and they will be the vast minority of people selling.

[Khamsin]

Sorry edited my post like 2 seconds after I posted it because I didn't say all I wanted to in it. The problem with that is people will find a way around it, and after a certain income there is no need to sell your organ. I really don't see how this could benefit anyone other than the upper middle-upper class because they are the only ones(with rare exceptions) who will be recieving the organs and they will be the vast minority of people selling.

For one, the draft affects poor and rich alike, if the draft were still in place. If there was an actress/supermodel that had millions to their name when they turned 18, but then the draft got reinstated and she was drafted during the filming of her next blockbuster or modelling shoot, she'd have to go and her rich mommy and daddy may never see her again. But at least she can write letters from the front lines.

As for no reason to sell your organ after a certain income, that's the point. I don't think this was meant as a get-rich-quick scheme in exchange for your organs, I think it was merely meant as compensation for those willing to give their organs to those who need them. That's probably why it's only $47,000. The people wanting $100k+ and all sorts of other stuff are thinking in terms of a profit, whereas the program is probably geared more toward encouraging donations so its not a complete loss and inconvenience for the donor.

And I doubt you could get around restrictions on this sort of thing. If you wanted to sell your organs to some guy working out of the back of his van, you can do that now. This is about a hospital or government funded program where they probably won't take just any organ in a cooler. They probably would stipulate that they be the ones to remove it from you, and would probably do a thorough check on you.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

So long as organ donors aren't compensated for their organs their will be a shortage. It's simple economics.

[Pirian]

For one, the draft affects poor and rich alike, if the draft were still in place. If there was an actress/supermodel that had millions to their name when they turned 18, but then the draft got reinstated and she was drafted during the filming of her next blockbuster or modelling shoot, she'd have to go and her rich mommy and daddy may never see her again. But at least she can write letters from the front lines.

You're kidding yourself if you think the son of a rich man will go straight to the front of the line. There are ways around it and people of wealth/prestige are more likely to know those ways around it than those who are your average run of the mill Joe.

Sorry, quoting out of order, leaving what I think is more important to answer as last.

And I doubt you could get around restrictions on this sort of thing. If you wanted to sell your organs to some guy working out of the back of his van, you can do that now. This is about a hospital or government funded program where they probably won't take just any organ in a cooler. They probably would stipulate that they be the ones to remove it from you, and would probably do a thorough check on you

Really, you really doubt this? I really have my doubts that people won't find ways around the system. Oh, and you've gotta be kidding yourself if you think the rate of illegally sold organs won't increase with something such as this.

As for no reason to sell your organ after a certain income, that's the point. I don't think this was meant as a get-rich-quick scheme in exchange for your organs, I think it was merely meant as compensation for those willing to give their organs to those who need them. That's probably why it's only $47,000. The people wanting $100k+ and all sorts of other stuff are thinking in terms of a profit, whereas the program is probably geared more toward encouraging donations so its not a complete loss and inconvenience for the donor.

Again you're saying this as if that's not the way it's going to be manipulated. As for this idea of compensation, $47,000 is not compensation for something like an organ. If you think it is then you do not make enough money. I'm not trying to insult or talk down to anyone but $47,000 actually buys you very little. Heck, it cost the surgeon much more for a year in college learning how to take out that kidney than what you're getting paid for it. Please do not read that as "the pay is too low for the organ" because that is not what I'm saying. The idea of a one time payment is complete ludacris, and that is why is should not be allowed.

As I stated before, yes, there needs to be something done to increase the availability of transplant organs. This is not the correct way to go about it, though.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

As I stated before, yes, there needs to be something done to increase the availability of transplant organs. This is not the correct way to go about it, though.

How do you propose increasing the availability of organs for donation without compensating people?

[Pirian]

How do you propose increasing the availability of organs for donation without compensating people?

I'm not putting forth another idea, simply stating that this is not the correct answer. If the issue were so simple it would have already been proposed. Currently I think the best answer for us lies in developing cloning techknowledge, but that is far in the future and when it does come out it will take a while until the process is cheap enough that people other than the wealthy will be able to afford such an option. So really, I have no answer for you.