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Selling your organs.

Former MemberFormer 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 ?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    RubberSkin wrote: »
    If someone, say, sells their kidney, should they be elligible for a transplant if the other one fails ?

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teagan wrote: »
    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. :D

    Seriously though, I do think people should be able to sell their organs if they wish even though I think its a bit unethical.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The problem is though that people may sell their organs when it is not in their best interests - but out of desperation.

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah I agree. However it would be very difficult to define between those who should and shouldn't be allowed to sell their organs.

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm unsure about this. I do think it's morally wrong though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Calvin wrote: »
    Yeah I agree. However it would be very difficult to define between those who should and shouldn't be allowed to sell their organs.

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teagan wrote: »
    I think that to protect the weak and vulnerable, they should keep it illegal.

    This is how I see it as well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The average waiting time for a new kidney is 2 years

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well... it is his own body to do whatever he likes with. if he wanted to drink and destroy one of his kidneys/liver noone would have a problem with him doing that. but its not like anyone can sell to the NHS or a health system, so it always has to be on the unregulated unscruplious black market.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A person owns themselves. So let him sell his organs for fuck sake....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    toth8 wrote: »
    A person owns themselves. So let him sell his organs for fuck sake....

    Simplistic. :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    toth8 wrote: »
    A person owns themselves. So let him sell his organs for fuck sake....

    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds a bit dodgy... Imagin if you tried selling one of your kidneys and were going to have an op and then you found out you only have one (Cos you wouldn't know unless you'd happened to have a scan at some point)... I think you'd make the other person more than a wee bit pissed off.
  • Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    Right, a person owns themselves. So why stop someone who wants to jump from the 100th floor of a building? Instead of telling them how nice life is, and trying to get them to come down, we should just tell them "Wait, don't jump; come to the hospital and let us kill you medically. This way you'll have what you want and your organs will still be useful to someone else."
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teagan wrote: »
    I think that to protect the weak and vulnerable, they should keep it illegal.

    :yes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    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.

    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?!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    toth8 wrote: »
    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!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teagan wrote: »
    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.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I consider myself chastised .. sorry Toth.

    And Captain, you did put it most eloquently. Thank you. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    toth8 wrote: »
    It's not about poverty

    Remind me again, why did this man want to seel his organs?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Remind me again, why did this man want to seel his organs?

    Because he was in debt?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote: »
    Because he was in debt?

    I know, I was trying to get Toth to spot the little flaw in his argument ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ah, I get it now.
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