Body Parts for Sale
EmailA kidney specialist in Australia has created a ruckus by suggesting a way to end the shortage in organs for transplant — let people sell their kidneys for $50,000 (Australian, equal to about $47,300 U.S.), to the government, for use on an open, legal market. "Being forced to travel overseas and illegally buy an organ from someone who desperately needs the money, with no medical controls over the process and nobody checking whether the kidney is a good match, is what I call unethical," says Dr. Gavin Carney in the Sydney Morning Herald. "But what is the option? Spending eight hours a day on dialysis for up to seven years? Dying on a wait list?" The Herald says 1,800 Australians are waiting for kidney transplants, but only 343 were donated last year. Trading in body parts is something most Americans find horrific, with all its implications of poor people selling their organs — and well-being — to those who can afford it. But there are occasional calls, such as Dr. Carney’s, for people to reconsider. And there is one country — Iran — where the sale of organs is legal. My old friend Stephen Dubner, co-author with Steven Levitt of "Freakonomics", has written about this lately –find his post HERE — and he points us to an analysis by Dr. Benjamin Hippen, a kidney transplant surgeon in Charlotte, posted on the website of the Cato Institute. Take a look HERE. "Although Iran clearly does not serve as a model for solving most of the world’s problems, its method for solving its organ shortage is well worth examining," writes Hippen. Hippen is quick to say he does not see Americans getting over their repugnance of organ-selling anytime soon, but he calls the shortage of organs for transplant the result of a "terrible policy failure." He says, "The portion of the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 which prohibits the sale of organs should be repealed," so that we can explore how a fair market for organs — better, presumably, than Iran’s — might work. Would you sell one of your kidneys? Tuesday’s edition of the Sydney Morning Herald carries a follow-up story: a man named Craig Gill called the paper to say he’d readily sell a kidney to secure the future of his two-year-old daughter Petal.
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I suppose there is nothing really unethical about selling one’s body parts voluntarily, but I get chills when I think of Burke and Hare supplying cadavers to medical schools back in the 19th century. Their practice advanced from merely supplying the bodies of the dead, to supplying the bodies of those who died from their tender mercies. By extension, that practice could be “revived” today, by murdering people, then harvesting their organs. There doesn’t appear to be a lower limit to the depravities of humankind.
Posted by: Andy | May 6, 2008, 11:06 am 11:06 am
Should they legalize the selling of one’s own organs, wouldn’t you think that they would put in checks so that some sort of organ havesting ring couldn’t spring up?
Posted by: TM | May 6, 2008, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
Well, TM, they have checks so you can’t buy or sell illegal guns or drugs, too. What man can imagine, man can do.
Posted by: Andy | May 6, 2008, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
I am extremely terrified of any surgery so no, not even for $50k or more.
Posted by: Nikki | May 6, 2008, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
I think it is a brillant idea….It gives the opportunity for a life spared. On the other hand, it also gives a person the ability to get out of debt without having to file for bankrupsy. “Saving a life and helping our economy!”
Posted by: Shelly | May 6, 2008, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
For a good price and a good hospital/surgical team, yes, I would. Being poor is worse then losing a kidney
Posted by: Mike | May 6, 2008, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
No, I won’t not sell my kidney because someone in my family might need it. Then I would donate my kidney to my family member.
Posted by: october155 | May 6, 2008, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
This is the stupidest idea out there, because this is a case in which the simple idea will work best:
Just don’t give kidneys to those who don’t agree to become organ donors. If you are not a registered organ donor (central registry, family has no right to overrule after death), you go to the end of the transplant list and stay there. Besides minors, you HAVE to be on the donor list for 2 years before you’re considered eligible.
If you don’t want to give, then you don’t get to receive. Simple. Fixed.
Posted by: Dave Mishem | May 6, 2008, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
I MYSELF THINK ITS CRAZY. BUT I HAVE A SON THAT NEEDS A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AND I WOULD GIVE HIM MINE FOR FREE,IF I COULD.BUT I CAN’T, AND NO ONES KIDNEY WILL MATCH MY SONS, BECAUSE HIS BLOOD ANTIBODIES OR WAY OVER. AND WE CAN’T FIND A MATCH. MY SON IS 25 YEARS OLD.AND TO THE QUESTION, YES I WOULD SELL OR GIVE IT UP FREE AS LONG AS I CAN SAVE A LIFE.
Posted by: FELICIA | May 6, 2008, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
If it was available in the U.S. for us to sell our organs, I’d do it in a heartbeat (no pun intended). As a divorced parent for the past 6 years, I have struggled, fallen, picked myself back up and struggled on…and I’m tired of it. I don’t have a huge load of debt, but I also don’t have any money saved for retirement or emergencies beause I can’t afford to. We don’t live lavishly, and $50,000 wouldn’t allow us much of a lifestyle change…but it sure would help get the wolf away from the door and allow us to breathe easier. I’d sell a kidney to make my family’s life easier – absolutely.
Posted by: Sue | May 6, 2008, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
The thought of it grosses me out but on the other hand I can see the benefit. What happens if there is remorse down the line, does the person sue to get their kidney back (: I was thinking about parents who give up there kids for adoption and change their mind later.
Posted by: shawn | May 6, 2008, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
I’m on a fence post on this one. While I see the need for more organs for transplantees, I don’t think selling them would be the best idea long term. I think cloning would have to take this job in the long run. But we’d only clone the organ itself, not the whole human. However, we’d need to find a better way to get DNA than using stem cells first.
Posted by: Lawrence | May 6, 2008, 8:31 pm 8:31 pm
Most people would sell a kidney. Just offer a little more than the cost of health care, food and gasoline.
Posted by: Ms. Betty | May 6, 2008, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm
No, I would not sell anything or any parts of my body. I think this is very risky. Families may be so desperate for parts that they will cross the line (causing the donor to die).
Posted by: Bluedogmoos | May 7, 2008, 12:52 am 12:52 am
Heck yeah!!! I got student loan debts to pay off. I will more likely die from the labor intensive lifestyle that is needed to pay off the debt. So a kidney would be nothing.
How much will they pay for my left arm?
Posted by: Dr. Nicole Sundene | May 7, 2008, 5:25 am 5:25 am
In the long run, it would benefit far more people than it would hurt. We can live with one kidney and allowing people the right to sell a kidney would improve the lives of thousands of people waiting on transplants.
As with anything with good intentions, there will always be people who find ways to exploit the system; we can not afford to not act out of fear of what a few bad people may do when this is a win-win for all involved.
Posted by: James Phillips | May 7, 2008, 6:15 am 6:15 am
I already sold my soul for a full tank of gas, so to sell a kidney or a “mans bean” would be ok. I dont really see anything wrong if it is done by a respected doctor under appropriate conditions.
Got any buyers?
Posted by: Gil. | May 7, 2008, 6:15 am 6:15 am
Make it 100K tax free. Use best hospital and doctors, then might do it. The estates of organ donors should also be paid for each body part mined at death.
Posted by: Longtree | May 7, 2008, 7:54 am 7:54 am
Besides the posts about the pros and cons of selling body parts, there’s a definite undercurrent of how desperate some people are in the context of the economy. People are actually willing to sell bits of themselves to find a way out of the straits they’re in. This is not a good sign for this nation and shows the utter incompetence and/or paucity of feeling for the people who have elected our “leaders.”
Posted by: Andy | May 7, 2008, 10:52 am 10:52 am
I read a report a few years back of a guy getting 250k and hospital expenses. But there can be serious long term health issues.
If it were ever legalized I would suggest mandatory multi-day classes to teach about the risks. I don’t want to hear people crying about how they didn’t know. Regulate the poo out of it.
Posted by: bubba | May 7, 2008, 11:21 am 11:21 am
I might consider it for a million. Not 50k – no way.
Posted by: cturple | May 7, 2008, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
I donated a kidney. No problem.
58 years old. Person I saved is living a normal life…no more “prison” and dread of dialysis. Me, just fine and would recommend it to everyone who can and would save a life.
Posted by: don | May 10, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
My 15 Y.O. son has recieved 2 heart transplants, and will probably need a kidney in the future. I think I should keep mine in case he can use it, otherwise I’d do it for free….and if ya wanna give me money for it, well I like money, so yes, I’d do it.
Posted by: Mary H. | May 12, 2008, 11:15 am 11:15 am
I would do it in a heartbeat. I have been searching the web for a long time looking for someone I could help that in turn would help me. It’s my body and I should be able to do with it as I please. Just because you don’t agree with it gives you no right to stop anyone else. And who would I be hurting….no one…But I would be helping my family a great deal. The whole key to this is that the person selling their organ is LIVING and it’s THEIRS inside their body. So bringing a dead persons organ really wouldn’t help you much now would it…
Posted by: Dave | May 13, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
I wouldn’t sell a body part as a family member may need it in an emergency, but we should have the right to do so.
Posted by: Rochelle | May 14, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
I have 3 fully-functioning kidneys (healthy ones too) and I can’t do with the one extra one without government interference. Why should someone die just because I cannot sell my extra kidney? I cannot afford to miss out on work to just donate it to someone and my family surely could use the extra money (I am supporting my daughter and my grandson while my daughter is going to school – all on just my salary alone.) What a waste!
I think the government should back off and out of the medical field – and so should the insurance industry.
Posted by: Kat | May 21, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
I strongly support the idea.
Unlike illegal trafficking of other things, it is quite impossible to pass off someone else’s organ, such as that of a murder victim, as that of your own.
If it was possible today, I would go sell off my kidney right this minute to get my family out of debt. Financial freedom is a gift I would love to present to my young wife and two children. Especially during this time when the U.S. economy is doing so bad and getting worse.
Posted by: Jon | July 4, 2008, 1:52 am 1:52 am
I am 80 years old and in relatively good health. I have two great kidneys that could possibly give a middle aged parent or a young child surcease from the agony of dialysis. I don’t necessarily need the money but why should I not consider making life worthwhile to some otherwise vital adult or child at no real cost to me.
It’s really a no-brainer.
Posted by: Jerry | August 14, 2008, 9:16 pm 9:16 pm
I’m 20 yrs old married with a 7 month son.were both in college have car payments a house payment insirance bills food baby supplies gas..that all equals up tremendously.I would do it I’d a heart beat so that we could spend more time as a family and our schooling instead of working 60 hrs a week just to get by.so its got my vote!
Posted by: tish | September 25, 2008, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
I would do it.just to get to say i savedsomone
Posted by: jon | November 20, 2008, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
i think its your body if you want to save some ones life and get paid its your right
Posted by: teresa | February 21, 2009, 2:53 am 2:53 am
Want to DONATE my Kidney A+ White male 33yrs old very healthy.. only compensate for pain and suffering and travel… let me know
Posted by: dan | March 24, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
I am healthy and 33 years old.I live in the U.S.A and with the economy and taxes the way they are I will sell one of my kidneys right now as long as it was done correctly and traveling expenses and surgical bill was paid.
Posted by: Aaron | April 20, 2009, 4:13 am 4:13 am
sign me up where can i sell mine i need the money !!!!!!!!
Posted by: bruce | June 3, 2009, 9:04 pm 9:04 pm
HELLO
I AM WILLING TO SELL MY BODY ONLY AFTER I DIE
CAN I SIGN PAPERS TO THAT GET MONEY WILL ALIVE SO WHEN IT HAPPENS THE HOSIPTAL KNOWS WHERE TO SEND MY BODY
OR SHIP IT OVER SEAS FROZEN FOR WHO EVER CAN DO WHAT NESSARY
Posted by: brad hart | September 21, 2009, 8:47 am 8:47 am
I would donate for the sake of saving any life. Any body can can approach me.
Posted by: Slashstainer | September 2, 2010, 9:50 am 9:50 am
i will like to sell a body part of mine can that be possible.
Posted by: stephanie | November 26, 2010, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
Yes,I would sell a kidney for $50 000, as I’m in the process of getting divorced and facing very difficult if not impossible circumstances. This would help me and my three children to get on our feet again and survivie.
Posted by: Sieglinde | December 1, 2010, 6:24 am 6:24 am
i would do it and would only charge 5k all i would need plus save sum1 life cant put a price on that. plus i have a large family so if the other was to pack in i would ask them nicely :)
Posted by: lk | February 16, 2011, 10:53 am 10:53 am