Organs for Sale

The current proposal to buy and sell organs by Prof. Hakim is one that requires extreme caution and careful debate and discussion.  It raises a number of serious legal, moral, ethical and economic issues.  Taking such a step could very easily lead us down an extremely dangerous and slippery road.

Firstly, it goes against current legislation (The Human Organ Transplant Act of 1989), which bars this practice. 

Secondly, there is no other country in the world that has legalized the buying and selling of organs – surely there are reasons why countries have taken this stance. 

Thirdly, the UK has until now decried countries such as India and Pakistan for this very practice.  Why does it now want to do something it has been condemning for so long?  This sudden shift raises alarm bells.

We all acknowledge that there is a shortage of organs and an urgent need to increase these numbers.  However, we have not fully explored all possible avenues.  We have not, for instance, learnt from the Spanish model of opting out.  This system has allowed donation rates to rise in Spain for 10 years and are now twice those found in the UK.  Those who object would maintain their right to opt out, but those who are either ambivalent and don’t get around to signing a donor card (the majority) would be included. 

Morally, organ donation is by very nature an altruistic act.  Legalising the purchase and sale of organs raises a raft of issues including:  Who decides the price of an organ?  Will there be a difference between a Caucasian organ and an Asian one?  Who will monitor adherence to these prices?  Are we creating a two-tier system?

Economically, many deprived communities may look at this as a means of generating income by selling their children’s organs and even go so far as to have children solely for this purpose.  It will lead on the one hand to an exploitation of the poor and a profiteering for the rich.  Will a rich businessman be able to bid for an organ over a pensioner who can’t afford it?  There is bound to be abuse of any such system.

Members of Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christian communities will also have a wide range of different views in this issue.  The dignity of the human being and body will be undermined.  Will this lead us to be able to sell our pint of blood for £10? 

Are we going to create a “body parts factory” in the UK that will allow people from other countries to tap into?  There are other less dangerous options to consider that need to be addressed before we resort to such desperate measures.

Deepak Mahtani

Organ Donor Campaign Director -South Asian Development Partnership

Member of Executive Committee – TIME Transplants in Mind

Member of the ABLE Campaign – National Kidney Research Fund

Contact Details: PO Box 43, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5WL

Tel: 020 8770 9717 – email: mahtanid@aol.com

www.southasian.org.uk

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