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| Illustration by Alex Nabaum |
Should people be free to sell their own organs and tissues for transplants or medical treatments if they want to? Does the prohibition against organ-selling strike you as similar in any way to the prohibition against prostitution? The video below features an Oxford-style debate about whether or not we should legalize the market for human organs.
Click here for more research and information about the debate, hosted by Intelligence Squared.
Movie recommendation: Dirty Pretty Things (2002) directed by Stephen Frears.
I do believe that it should be illegal to sell your organs, though it should be perfectly legal to donate them to someone who is in dire need of them. The person in real need of the organ may not have the money to buy the organ, this gives them no less right to live and be saved. I think that if you want to save a life by giving up one of your organs, it should be done out of charity.
ReplyDeleteStormy Wigley
While that levels the playing field as to who can get the organ (or tissue), it's suddenly not so equal on the other side. Removing an organ costs the hospital money just like any other surgery, and it doesn't stop on the operating table: there are medications, follow up visits with the doctor, pre-op and post-op care... the costs could--will--add up fast. So, should you be compensated the cost of that care for your "free" organ, or should you pay out of pocket to donate it?
ReplyDeleteGood question, Marissa. What do you think?
ReplyDelete