Prelude to Organ Trading?
The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) will be amended to include compensation to those who donate their kidneys to those they do not know. Changes are expected early next year. This compensation is to ‘reimburse’ the donor for the follow-up treatment and additonal medical expenses.
The poor are usually the victims of Illegal organ trading. Face with little option, they turn to the illegal trade when promised a high price for their organ. Only to be paid much lower in the end with most going to the middlemen.
As the debate on the ethicality of organ trading rages on, desperation has driven some to the illegal trade. Before biotechnology can provide a fully functional alternatives, this trade will continue. The only difference between now and then is whether it is done legally or illegally.
Is ’reimbursing’ the donor the same as buying the organ from the donor? There don’t seem to be any official view on this. The official view seems to be that the the donor must be compensated. Sometimes, I am just amazed by the ingenuity of the elite. Casinos are now known as Integrated Resorts, retrenchment and downsizing is called ‘Right Sizing’, recycled sewage is known as Newwater. Is trading going to be know as ‘reimbursement’? What happened to calling a spate a spate?
A senior leader mentioned about behavioral economics some time ago. Is this behavioural economics at work? Get ready for more ‘reimbursement’ talk in the days ahead.
Related Posts
Tags: organ
Yes. It does seem like the legalising of organ trading under the nice euphemism of ‘financial reimbursement’ and ‘donor’s welfare’. What kind of a society are we when we agree to systematic exploitation like this?
Hi Chuihua,
The current situation does point to a exploitation of the organ sellers. And the truth is that such exploitations are still ongoing as I type. The question is that: will the problem be solved or minimised by legalisation and control? Or will it worsen the problem as it is then legal, but not necessary ethically right, to buy an organ?