The Debate on Selling Organs
The debate on selling Organs
Patients on a waiting list for organ transplant live under tremendous emotional stress, physical limitations, continuous medical care, and in some cases, under daily medical attention. Family members and close friend are also affected by watching their love one day-after-day live with limitations and medical needs that a simple pill can’t fix. Furthermore, the financial medical hardship creates even more unwanted stress. So it’s easy to see why family members would be advocates for legalizing the sale of an organ. I too can see why those family members would feel and agree to ideal of buying an organ from an individual who is willing to sell. However, I also understand the government’s ethical and moral concern of selling organs.
We have two great battles at hand. The ill and desperate waiting for an organ donor, statistics show estimated 60,000 people in the U.S. are waiting to receive an organ and research shows that worldwide many people are willing to sell their organ however selling organs is illegal in most countries (MacKay 93). It’s a controversial argument. High status influential people believe selling organs is morally wrong and violates human dignity (Mackay 94). And most medical professionals say that legalizing the sale of organs would threaten to corrupt the system or organ acquisition and distribution (Organ Selling).
Not being a part of or lived close to anyone with such medical condition that would require an organ transplants allows me to examine both sides with an unbiased outlook. Both the Anti & pro-selling sides have a common end-point namely, have more organs available. The means to achieve that is of course different. The against-selling side achieves the numbers through encouraging people to donate. The pro-selling side achieves it through monetary means. What stands in the way of either side are the physical, social and moral risks. Finally, there is the question of flesh being different from corn and
Patients on a waiting list for organ transplant live under tremendous emotional stress, physical limitations, continuous medical care, and in some cases, under daily medical attention. Family members and close friend are also affected by watching their love one day-after-day live with limitations and medical needs that a simple pill can’t fix. Furthermore, the financial medical hardship creates even more unwanted stress. So it’s easy to see why family members would be advocates for legalizing the sale of an organ. I too can see why those family members would feel and agree to ideal of buying an organ from an individual who is willing to sell. However, I also understand the government’s ethical and moral concern of selling organs.
We have two great battles at hand. The ill and desperate waiting for an organ donor, statistics show estimated 60,000 people in the U.S. are waiting to receive an organ and research shows that worldwide many people are willing to sell their organ however selling organs is illegal in most countries (MacKay 93). It’s a controversial argument. High status influential people believe selling organs is morally wrong and violates human dignity (Mackay 94). And most medical professionals say that legalizing the sale of organs would threaten to corrupt the system or organ acquisition and distribution (Organ Selling).
Not being a part of or lived close to anyone with such medical condition that would require an organ transplants allows me to examine both sides with an unbiased outlook. Both the Anti & pro-selling sides have a common end-point namely, have more organs available. The means to achieve that is of course different. The against-selling side achieves the numbers through encouraging people to donate. The pro-selling side achieves it through monetary means. What stands in the way of either side are the physical, social and moral risks. Finally, there is the question of flesh being different from corn and
Cited: MacKay, Joanna. “Organ Sales Will Save Lives”. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook. Year of publication 2010 Pages 92 – 97. “Organ Selling” Issues & controversies on file: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts on File News Services, 27 July 2001.