Selling Body Parts

[rushfan]

Should people be allowed to sell their organs? If they're willing to, I say they should, as it may encourage people who would not otherwise make donations. There would need to be a process to ensure these parts were sold willingly and with full disclosure, but I don't foresee a problem with that because most people with quesionable motives would not qualify anyway since the screening process is very stringent. I also would think people would still donate for free to family members as they do now, much as people like me donate blood and platelets for free even though some people go places where they can get paid for it.

I also think inmates who are killed should have their organs harvested. I don't see the moral dilema of taking organs instead of burying them. Where is the logic in burying perfectly good tissue, kidneys, etc. when there are people dying who could very easily be saved? In fact, I don't understand why everyone doesn't sign up to be an organ donor. Are people really scared that doctors won't work as hard to save them if they offer to be donors? EMS workers or doctors don't know if you're a potential donor or not while they're working on you in an ER to save your life. But you could save multiple lives if you were willing to allow your organs to go to people in need.

[Angelina]

Sadly, that is why most people are not organ donors. Since I got my first driver's license, I became an organ donor. It is my little contribution to humanity. I guess there are some religions that forbid it and then there is just plain misinformation and ignorance that keeps others from signing up.

Executed prisoners. . . hmmm. . . .it is a bit unnerving that a murderer or rapist's heart or liver would be inside me. . . I'm not saying I would say no but it would be a tad bit strange at first.

Selling body parts to the highest bidder is repugnant to me. Only the rich survive? I don't think so.

Who else out there is/isn't an organ donor? And why?

[rushfan]

Selling body parts to the highest bidder is repugnant to me. Only the rich survive? I don't think so.

I'm glad you mentioned that. They wouldn't be bought by families in need, they'd be purchased by hospitals or some sort of medical commission of some sort, and it wouldn't be for a huge profit it would just be an incentive for people to consider organ donation. As it is, rich people may be able to buy more access to specialists, but they can't buy an organ even if they're rich and one is availbale, they go on the same list as poor people. Except maybe Larry Hagman. I think he bought a new liver plus a spare.

[rushfan]

Executed prisoners. . . hmmm. . . .it is a bit unnerving that a murderer or rapist's heart or liver would be inside me. . . I'm not saying I would say no but it would be a tad bit strange at first.

Another good point, but people wouldn't necessarily know because when your organ comes from a cadaver you don't necessarily know who the donor was. I work for a transplant institute and our transplants are labeled "live donor" and "cadaveric." The live donors are named, but the cadavers aren't. I know I've seen on TV where parents are allowed to know who got their child's heart, for example, if they allowed it to go to another child, but I don't think most people know what deceased people their donations came from.

[Kris]

what is the legal age to willingly donate body organs?... Is it just for very health people do that ? i would like to give aways my eyes after I die... someone would surely love to see a jolly blue eyes...

[rushfan]

what is the legal age to willingly donate body organs?... Is it just for very health people do that ? i would like to give aways my eyes after I die... someone would surely love to see a jolly blue eyes...

Great question Kris! Generally people under 18 are not allowed to donate organs, possibly unless there are special family circumstances, at least in the US.

But that does bring to mind scenarios I've seen where parents have a child dying of a certain disease and having another baby they hope will be a match so they can do a bone marrow transplant for the sick child. Here's a link to a couple of stories of familes that did just that: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/story?id=3826596&page=1

[Kris]

Great question Kris! Generally people under 18 are not allowed to donate organs, possibly unless there are special family circumstances, at least in the US.

But that does bring to mind scenarios I've seen where parents have a child dying of a certain disease and having another baby they hope will be a match so they can do a bone marrow transplant for the sick child. Here's a link to a couple of stories of familes that did just that: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/story?id=3826596&page=1[/quote]

Thanq Rushfan...I can't these things with my family... so as I am under 18, I can't willingly write a donation of my eyes... fine... but one day I will...
I sometimes feel my health isn't good as it should be...so if I die early then I would definitely don't want to waste my eyes... rest all uummm don't work well...

[DK]

Thanq Rushfan...I can't these things with my family... so as I am under 18, I can't willingly write a donation of my eyes... fine... but one day I will...
I sometimes feel my health isn't good as it should be...so if I die early then I would definitely don't want to waste my eyes... rest all uummm don't work well...

Kris, it may be a good idea to let someone in your family know your wishes, so that if -God forbid- something did happen to you before age 18 (or whatever the age is where you live, it may vary country to country), there may be a chance of your eyes being donated. It would still be up to your parents to decide, but if they know that's what you truly want, they may choose to do so.

[Kris]

Kris, it may be a good idea to let someone in your family know your wishes, so that if -God forbid- something did happen to you before age 18 (or whatever the age is where you live, it may vary country to country), there may be a chance of your eyes being donated. It would still be up to your parents to decide, but if they know that's what you truly want, they may choose to do so.

DK thanq ... will try to speak to my brother Brian...

[Matt42]

I think the biggest problem is that the people in need would sell their organs to feed the family, and then regret. Or even people who would force other people to sell their organs, then get the profit, or do something like 'donate your kidney or your family dies' (I can see it happening here. Sadly, in some cities, the drug lords have lots of power... )

And I wish to donate everything of my body that can be donated. I'm not against harvesting executed prisioners' organs. I mean, what could go wrong?

[Angelina]

I think the biggest problem is that the people in need would sell their organs to feed the family, and then regret. Or even people who would force other people to sell their organs, then get the profit, or do something like 'donate your kidney or your family dies' (I can see it happening here. Sadly, in some cities, the drug lords have lots of power... )

And I wish to donate everything of my body that can be donated. I'm not against harvesting executed prisioners' organs. I mean, what could go wrong?

Yeah, what could go wrong? I bet trials would be a lot quicker and the death penalty would be used more often. Hmmm. . . I think you are on to something here, Matt.