The Problem of Trading Human Organs
More people are opting for organ transplantation because of the increasing advancements in medical technology and an increasing number of individuals in need of organ replacements. This has resulted in a supply-demand problem in which more people request replacement organs than the available numbers. A thriving global trade in human organs has developed in response to the mounting demand for organs. Human organs in demand are purchased from poor people for transplantation to wealthy patients. Physicians, private hospitals, brokers earn enormous profits for their services and contacts. Trading human organs have presented a significant problem because it undermines and damages the cause of transplantation. It also damages other ethical, religious, and moral beliefs and values of society. Trading organs adversely impacts the altruistic donation by donors and affects the creation of state cadaver procurement procedures by federal governments. The policy for eradicating the trade of human organs focuses on reducing vulnerabilities of victims, optimizing donations, and establishing a legal framework for combating trafficking and supporting victims.
Why this Problem Needs Solving
Trading human organs is a significant problem because it will impact altruism. There is considerable evidence that trading human organs will ultimately reduce and end the desire of the donors to donate vital organs out of altruism (The sale of human organs, 2015). When people are offered financial compensation to do some activity, this decreases or undermines the degree to which they feel ethically obliged to perform that act. Consequently, financial incentives tend to reduce altruism. Additionally, the sale of human organs undermines the practice of free donation. According to the National Kidney Foundation, nearly a third of kidney transplants in the U.S. in 2014 came from live donors (The sale of human organs, 2015). However, the marketing of human organs will affect donation because people will look to gain monetary compensation. A decrease in organ donations will affect people without the financial capacity to purchase organs and even result in death. Therefore trading human organs will reduce altruism.
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Marketing human organs have resulted in transplant tourism, leading to the victimization and exploitation of underprivileged people in society. Trading human organs expose the vulnerable and most impoverished groups in society. Since people languishing in poverty may be compelled to sell their organs to meet their financial needs. According to Adair & Wigmore (2011), transplant tourism and organ trafficking infringe the values of justice, equity, and respect for human dignity and, as a consequence, should be outlawed. Organ transplant marketing targets vulnerable and impoverished donors resulting in injustice and inequality. Most sell their organs to pay off debt. However, for most donors, selling their kidneys does not lead to substantial economic benefits, and the process often results in a decline in general health (Adair & Wigmore, 2011). It is essential to address these issues to avoid the exploitation and victimization of vulnerable and marginalized people in developing nations.
Proposed Actions
The policy should have a provision that suppresses, prevents, and punishes trafficking human beings for organs removal as a form of exploitation, particularly for children and women. Many nations prohibit trafficking humans for organ removal; however, there are growing cases across the globe (Ambagtsheer & Weimar, 2016). Most countries in the European Union do not have adequate legislation to prevent this form of exploitation. The provision will help offer legal guidelines that nations can use to address the issue. The provision provides that trafficking of human beings to buy or sell organs is to be identified as organized crime as outlined in the United Nations Palermo Protocol (European Union, 2015). According to the protocol, human trafficking covers three critical aspects; an action such as recruitment and transportation, the means utilized to attain that action, for example, coercion, fraud or deception, and the purpose such as organ removal. The protocol helps alleviate the problem because it offers a clear definition and scope of trafficking for organ removal. The elucidation is essential because it can be used as a cornerstone of law enforcement measures against people who violate the policy.
Another lasting solution that can alleviate the problem of trading human organs is alleviating people's vulnerabilities. States have an obligation and responsibility to their citizens to ensure their well-being and protect them from exploitation (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). Most people who sell their organs do so because they need to settle debts or live in abject poverty. Governments should develop long-term solutions that address underdevelopment, poverty, and a lack of equal opportunities. A report by the UNODC revealed that poverty is the principal aspect of trafficking among people for organ removal. Consequently, there is a need for empowering poverty-alleviation programs that target vulnerable communities where donors are recruited (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). Additionally, governments should implement programs aimed at reducing the demand for irregularly produced organs. For instance, they can encourage healthy lifestyles to reduce the demand caused by organ failure. By focusing on empowering underprivileged communities, governments will reduce the likelihood of victimization. Consequently reducing instances of exploitation and trading human organs. Additionally, encouraging a healthy diet and living will reduce organ demand because of fewer organ failures. Therefore the approach can help reduce the trading of human organs.
Another significant action that can be used to address trading human organs is optimizing living and deceased donations. The government can focus on offering comprehensive information to the family of deceased donors or potential donors and potential organ recipients (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). The initiative should inform recipients and potential donors of the benefits and risks of live kidney donations. Governments can also implement legislation that optimizes organ donations. For instance, they can implement an Organ Donation Act that considers all adults in the country as having decided to donate their organs once they pass away unless they choose not to donate or belong to some of the excluded groups (National Health Service, 2020). Some of the excluded groups include people who lack the mental capability to acknowledge the new arrangement, individuals under 18 years, people who have resided in the nation for less than twelve months, or those unwilling to volunteer for the program. The legislation would be invaluable in the fight against trading human organs. It would help increase organ donations, which would meet the rising demand for organ transplantation. The law would also help to improve altruism among donors.
Procedures should also be established to fight trafficking and ensure victim assistance and protection. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2015), victims are often reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement agencies because they fear being considered criminals or retaliation from traffickers. The lack of adequate support and protection for witnesses and victims can hamper court proceedings, prosecutions, and investigations. Doctors and other care providers are well-positioned to play an integral role in evaluating and curtailing the trafficking of human beings for organ removal (Caulfield et al., 2016). They can be used to collect information that can help shed light on organ trafficking networks. Care providers should also help to protect the victims. For instance, when practitioners suspect that a patient is a victim of trafficking, they need to refer the person to laws enforcement to ensure their protection. Care practitioners are also obliged to offer psychological and physical support to victims of trafficking who survive organ removal. The support can include long-term care and follow-up to address their physiological issues and physical injuries from the surgery (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). Additionally, it is essential to include non-punishment or non-criminalization clauses that should apply to victims to encourage them to cooperate in exposing the trafficking ring. These procedures will help reduce the trading of human organs.
Justification for Solutions
Instances of trading human organs have been on the rise regardless of being illegal in most countries because of the growing demand for organ transplants. However, this matter has resulted in the exploitation of vulnerable communities that often become victims of human trafficking for organ removal. This exploitation damages the altruistic donation by the general public and also results in the victimization and exploitation of underprivileged persons in society. There is a need for a comprehensive policy that will reduce victims' vulnerabilities, optimize donations, and establish a legal framework for combating trafficking and supporting victims. The policy will have several provisions. The first provision will offer a clear definition and scope of human trafficking for organ removal, which can be used to develop legislation against trading organs. The second provision focuses on poverty alleviation programs to reduce vulnerabilities and promote healthy lifestyles to reduce instances of organ failure. The next step is optimizing donations by educating on the benefits and risks of organ donation and passing legislation that collects organs from dead donors. The final framework focuses on offering victims assistance and protection to ensure their participation in curtailing human trafficking. It is essential to accept and act on these solutions because they will help protect the vulnerable in society from exploitation providing justice for marginalized community members. Additionally, these actions also address the demand for human organs, and implementing the Organ Donation Act will help meet this demand and help save thousands of lives. These actions offer practical solutions to a severe issue plaguing society.
Reference
Adair, A., & Wigmore, S. J. (2011). Paid organ donation: the case against. The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 93(3), 191-192.
Ambagtsheer, F., & Weimar, W. (2016). Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal: results and recommendations . Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers .
Caulfield, T., Duijst, W., Bos, M., Chassis, I., Codreanu, I., Danovitch, G., Gill, J., Ivanovski, N. & Shin, M. (2016). Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal and the ethical and legal obligations of healthcare providers. Transplantation direct, 2(2).
European Union. (2015). Trafficking in human organs. Directorate General for External Policies . https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/549055/EXPO_STU(2015)549055_EN.pdf
National Health Service. (2020). Organ donation law change due to come into effect in England on 20th May. Organ and Donation . https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/get-involved/news/organ-donation-law-change-due-to-come-into-effect-in-england-on-20th-may/
The sale of human organs. (2015). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/organs-sale/#WouOrgSalDisRedAlt
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2015). Trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal. Assessment Toolkit . https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/2015/UNODC_Assessment_Toolkit_TIP_for_the_Purpose_of_Organ_Removal.pdf
