Poverty driving people to sell their organs on black market

ETA - Updating title to the Sunday Post version as it seems more accurate.

After struggling with whether this should go in the Medical or Social Issues forum I finally settled on here as it seemed relevant to the global financial crisis. Yeah that global recession (depression?) the banksters, Wall Street and the politicians all say is really a recovery.

So what we have here is basically economic desperation in the UK and what some are willing to do to alleviate their personal monetary hardship. Their answer, sell a kidney! And nobody gets to laugh because I know some of you have thought about it too.

How Brits Make The Rent - Sell A Kidney (On Facebook)

Cash-strapped Britons are lining up to sell a kidney on the black market, a Sunday Post investigation has revealed. Our reporter posed as the brother of a woman desperately needing a transplant and placed an advert on a Facebook page specifically set up to buy and sell organs. Within a week he had received 11 offers from desperate people worldwide willing to risk their lives to drag themselves out of poverty.

This has got to be as bad as it gets, sell your organs for financial survival. Could it be any worse? Apparently yes if you can't sell your organs fast enough.

The cash-strapped dad, who has studied at two colleges in Northamptonshire, became frustrated our reporter was not progressing the deal quickly enough and has since placed a new advert, wanting a sale “as soon as possible”.
Sunday Post

Illegal or not I'm surprised no one has set up an organ donor drive-fly through yet. Since this is on Facebook how long until the idea catches on?

reply to post by Bassago


This is why you should have to opt out instead of opting in organ donation.
It would eliminate the black market trade in organs.
It is a great shame that many of us are finding it hard to pay the bills, I had to move back to my mothers to help her and my step dad out with the mortgage because my Mother had to stop work due to illness but she can not get any help from the social....payed in all her life and they deem her fit for work because she can walk 12 feet carrying an empty box...
It will hit breaking point soon and then we march down downing street and hang the bastards.

boymonkey74
reply to post by Bassago

 

This is why you should have to opt out instead of opting in organ donation.
It would eliminate the black market trade in organs.
It is a great shame that many of us are finding it hard to pay the bills, I had to move back to my mothers to help her and my step dad out with the mortgage because my Mother had to stop work due to illness but she can not get any help from the social....payed in all her life and they deem her fit for work because she can walk 12 feet carrying an empty box...
It will hit breaking point soon and then we march down downing street and hang the bastards.

I can link you to some people who can help if you want...PM me.

Bassago


So what we have here is basically economic desperation in the UK and what some are willing to do to alleviate their personal monetary hardship. Their answer, sell a kidney! And nobody gets to laugh because I know some of you have thought about it too.

This should of been titled, "How People Make the Rent" as Americans have been doing this for a long time. Not only kidneys, but breast milk, hair, and other such: Americans Trying to Sell Kidneys, Breast Milk...

Everyone is feeling the economic hardships. Needless to say, this sort of thing is nothing 'new.' People have been selling such for so many years all over the globe.

reply to post by Bassago


Ick, I hate this topic because it forces me to think about the limits of government intervention in one of the toughest contexts imaginable.

In the US, organ donation is strictly unfunded. Now, does that mean that the donor receives no financial assistance? No.

Many recipients keep close ties with their donors (if they know who they are) and contribute to their well being in at least an in-kind way.

The threat of state violence is the only way to prevent selling organs for financial gain, how could that possibly be better for anyone?

Think 'war on drugs' and how well that has worked out, such a move may very well create a state sponsored organ theft ring.

reply to post by StarlightNine

This should of been titled, "How People Make the Rent" as Americans have been doing this for a long time.

I agree but just used the article title from the first link. Parts of the US and indeed global population are in as bad shape economically. In regard of that I'll update the title to the Post article.

reply to post by greencmp

Think 'war on drugs' and how well that has worked out, such a move may very well create a state sponsored organ theft ring.

Most state sponsored violence programs as you mentioned don't work out well for the little people. As far as state sponsored organ theft rings I believe we already have that. Power and money is I'm sure how the elite move to the front of the line so fast *cough* Dick Cheney *cough*

Bassago
reply to post by greencmp

 

Think 'war on drugs' and how well that has worked out, such a move may very well create a state sponsored organ theft ring.

Most state sponsored violence programs as you mentioned don't work out well for the little people. As far as state sponsored organ theft rings I believe we already have that. Power and money is I'm sure how the elite move to the front of the line so fast *cough* Dick Cheney *cough*

Well, I think Cheney had a coupon from the shotgun incident.



But, I think that an open market for everything, including organs, keeps everything in the light. It is the only way to actually see what is happening and remove the black market demand since it is cheaper, safer and affords (poor choice of words) greater access to judicial recourse to acquire legally.

It's a very sad state of affairs when people are forced into the black market with their own organs just to eat or to try to improve their lot in life. This is not really new...I'd venture to say it's been going on for about as long as there have been organ transplants, all over the world. I think it's something that is just avoided because of how complicated an issue it is and how horrifying.

While part of me thinks...hey if you can spare part of your liver or one kidney and decide to do so of your own free will to save someone who is willing to compensate you, why not? Whyg not is because of the snowball rolling downhill to hell such precedent sets. And soon it will be maybe not so much of their own free will...and then it will be growing your own clone for spare parts. The ethics of all this are just mind-boggling.

Hard to believe this is reality now and no longer just science fiction.

From 2004: THE ORGAN TRADE: A Global Black Market; Tracking the Sale of a Kidney On a Path of Poverty and Hope

reply to post by Bassago


That there are those among us so financially desperate they would resort to, or minimally contemplate such an option- strikes me as horribly depraved. I say, take at least half the foreign aid our respective countries spend, and use it at home! Spend it on education, infrastructure (i.e. public works projects that create employment and benefit the good of the public), and access to health care. I wretch every time I hear news of another mulit-billion dollar aid package announced. It's simply pathetic.

reply to post by boymonkey74

This is why you should have to opt out instead of opting in organ donation.
It would eliminate the black market trade in organs.

In the past I was against this simply due to believing anyone on the way to a hospital, unconscious and in an ambulance would wake up with missing parts. At this point I'd go along with the opt out plan if it was clearly explained and offered to those who don't wish to take part.

Sorry about your mum hope things look up.

reply to post by Bassago


They are going to try it out in Wales soon and hopefully the rest of the UK.
It would save many more lives and to be honest a kidney wouldn't be worth anything due to the fact we would have a load going spare.
Check my sig out for more details.

~Lucidity
It's a very sad state of affairs when people are forced into the black market with their own organs just to eat or to try to improve their lot in life. This is not really new...I'd venture to say it's been going on for about as long as there have been organ transplants, all over the world. I think it's something that is just avoided because of how complicated an issue it is and how horrifying.

While part of me thinks...hey if you can spare part of your liver or one kidney and decide to do so of your own free will to save someone who is willing to compensate you, why not? Whyg not is because of the snowball rolling downhill to hell such precedent sets. And soon it will be maybe not so much of their own free will...and then it will be growing your own clone for spare parts. The ethics of all this are just mind-boggling.

Hard to believe this is reality now and no longer just science fiction.

From 2004: THE ORGAN TRADE: A Global Black Market; Tracking the Sale of a Kidney On a Path of Poverty and Hope

The ethics are murkiest when the activity is not transparent.

As far as cloning, once we get over the hump here and start growing and printing custom organs, nearly all of the negative connotations dissolve. At that point, the issue becomes who can afford it, not if it should be legal.

For clarification, when I say cloning I mean growing just the organ, not growing a whole subject and excising the nifty bits.

This stem cell method, if it proves to be real, may just spark that revolution.
Extraordinary stem cell method tested in human tissue

reply to post by greencmp

For clarification, when I say cloning I mean growing just the organ, not growing a whole subject and excising the nifty bits.

Do you think ethics will stop the elite from cloning entire bodies for themselves when this is perfected? Personally I do not. Like that old movie with Arnold "The Sixth Day" I think the holy grail for some is the (semi) immortality of new bodies.

Not a judgement, just an observation.

Bassago
reply to post by greencmp

 

For clarification, when I say cloning I mean growing just the organ, not growing a whole subject and excising the nifty bits.

Do you think ethics will stop the elite from cloning entire bodies for themselves when this is perfected? Personally I do not. Like that old movie with Arnold "The Sixth Day" I think the holy grail for some is the (semi) immortality of new bodies.

Not a judgement, just an observation.

Yeah, it will be a major issue. Who gets a whole new body just because they can spend the $4.8 million that it costs.

However, as competitors organically (again, no pun here, just the right word) improve upon each others work and optimize we will get the $35,000 model.

So, how do you feel about someone being able to afford a decent car? Maybe a good independent bank (we will have those in the future I hope) will give you a body loan at 3.9%.

reply to post by greencmp


Oh, believe me, I am not anti-cloning (unless it's a full human we tear apart when we need a part). What I meant to say but said poorly, was that the ethics with it are very complicated and there are some who are very vocal about that. But as you say, that will probably end when they realize it's more the 3-D printer thing and not the full human thing and it can save or extend their lives.

BODY SNATCHERS: The illegal organ harvest trade...Its BIGGER than you think.

~Lucidity
reply to post by greencmp

 

Oh, believe me, I am not anti-cloning (unless it's a full human we tear apart when we need a part). What I meant to say but said poorly, was that the ethics with it are very complicated and there are some who are very vocal about that. But as you say, that will probably end when they realize it's more the 3-D printer thing and not the full human thing and it can save or extend their lives.

I hope so, there are always growing pains for new technology. It happened with firewood, coal, oil, gas and nuclear and while all of the examples I just listed are energy sources, they are all ubiquitous commodities so everybody needs them and I think that this rises to that level.

reply to post by greencmp

Maybe a good independent bank (we will have those in the future I hope) will give you a body loan at 3.9%.

Aw man, don't give those blood suckers any ideas. You've not seen "Repo Man" I take it.

Snarl - Yeah didn't that end with something like "Arrgh, someone stole my cloned kidney!"