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Selling your organs.
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Someone's just received a 12 month suspended sentence for trying to sell one of his kidneys', apparently the first conviction using the Human Tissues Act. Story here.
So what do you think ?
I'm not too sure. On the one hand it's his and he can do what he wants with it, and people often donate kidneys, bone marrow and maybe other tissues to relatives and of course donating your organs when you die, so the issue is about payment i suppose.
On the other hand would someone be more likely to be hospitalised by donating organs/tissue and cause a drain on the NHS while they've lined their own pockets ? If someone, say, sells their kidney, should they be elligible for a transplant if the other one fails ?
So what do you think ?
I'm not too sure. On the one hand it's his and he can do what he wants with it, and people often donate kidneys, bone marrow and maybe other tissues to relatives and of course donating your organs when you die, so the issue is about payment i suppose.
On the other hand would someone be more likely to be hospitalised by donating organs/tissue and cause a drain on the NHS while they've lined their own pockets ? If someone, say, sells their kidney, should they be elligible for a transplant if the other one fails ?
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Comments
That's my problem with it. If they sell a kidney for £26 000 or whatever, they can pay that back when they need another one in later life.
Perhaps people could lease their body parts for a set number of years.
Seriously though, I do think people should be able to sell their organs if they wish even though I think its a bit unethical.
This guy tried to sell his kidney to clear gambling debts when in fact, he should have been concentrating on the cause rather than the quick fix. He would find himself back in debt in no time if his addiction was not sorted out.
I think we need to look at why people feel the need to sell their organs, perhaps that would be a better way of dealing with it.
I think that to protect the weak and vulnerable, they should keep it illegal.
This is how I see it as well.
http://www.kidneypatientguide.org.uk/site/waiting.php
I think the whole organ donation thing is a bit crazy anyway .. I'm sure most people have no objections to donating their organs, espacially the kidneys cos everyone knows you have two (well most people).. BUT they don't want to actually make an active attempt to donate their organs because they see it as tempting fate...
Loads of ways to solve the kidney shortage .. make the system op-out as they have done in other countries where the government assumes you wish to donate UNLESS you tell them in advance you don't
or perhaps have dedicated scheme to have healthly people living in poverty to sell a kidney. When I was on holiday in India the security guard at the hotel I was in said he got 80 rupees a day in wages, at today's rate that's about £1 a day.
£5,000 for a kidney that's 13 years wages - I'm sure you'd get a lot of takers who'd want to sell a kidney for 13 years wages, when in the UK that kidney patient on the 2 year waiting list would rather get those 2 years back and get on with their lives as well.
Simplistic. :rolleyes:
Indeed.
After all, why shouldn't someone who has little moeny be able to profit from seeling their body part. I mean the richest of us should be able to use someone else's misfortune to ensure that we don't have to worry about looking after our bodies - not when there are organ farms in every deprived area of the world.
Hell, just think about it, this type of system could be used to wipe out third world debt.
:yes:
It's not about poverty, it's about self-ownership.
Who is the government to tell people what they can or cannot do with their bodies?!
How old are you? Like 3? The law is there to protect the vulnerable.
Who is the government, then, to stop you from dying of a horrible cancer rather than find you medical assistance? Oh yes - that's right - you want a government to do someting about 'your' body then!
Wow, what an engaging poster you are. I'm sure sniping at this poster won't perpetuate the status-quo of regulars berating newer debaters whilst quickly ensuring the thread descends into a slanging match. 'Blagsta's Bumper Book of Debating Techniques' is evidently still doing the rounds.
toth8: I think what Tegan wasn’t so eloquently trying to get at is that although you patently own your own body, being able to sell your own organs opens up less advantaged and more vulnerable people to serious exploitation. A balance has to be stuck between personal freedoms and rights of the individual, and the protection of the vulnerable.
And Captain, you did put it most eloquently. Thank you.
Remind me again, why did this man want to seel his organs?
Because he was in debt?
I know, I was trying to get Toth to spot the little flaw in his argument