Legalize organ trading
August 14th, 2008 | by Brian Schwartz |Our government prohibits the sale of human organs, which has resulted in a shortage. Drew Carey’s video shows the awful consequences of this:
Not all government officials are as closed-minded to freedom on organ sales. For example, as Bryan Caplan notes, the Health Minister of Singapore said that: “We should not reject any idea just because it is radical or controversial.” “We may be able to find an acceptable way to allow a meaningful compensation for some living, unrelated kidney donors, without breaching ethical principles or hurting the sensitivities of others.”
Here’s the Cato Institute press release about its study of Iran’s organ trading policy (shown in the video) and Ronald Bailey’s case for selling organs.
Also noteworthy is LifeSharers:
LifeSharers members promise to donate upon their death, and they give fellow members first access to their organs. As a LifeSharers member, you will have access to organs that otherwise may not be available to you. As the LifeSharers network grows, more and more organs may become available to you — if you are a member.
One Response to “Legalize organ trading”
By Dave Undis on Aug 16, 2008 | Reply
Allowing people to sell organs would save thousands of lives every year. As the organ shortage continues to grow, public opinion will eventually support a legal organ market and changes in public policy will follow.
In the mean time, there is an already-legal way to put a big dent in the organ shortage — allocate donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. The United Network for Organ Sharing, which manages the national organ allocation system, has the power to make this simple policy change. No legislative approval is required.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren’t willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Americans who want to donate their organs to other registered organ donors don’t have to wait for UNOS to act. They can join LifeSharers, a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at http://www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.