The Black Market For Organ Donation

1769 Words4 Pages

The supply of organs is not enough to sustain the demand for transplantation. The black market for organ donation remains a large business that thrives every day on an international scale. The exact numbers of these operations are hard to come by as this is not a reputable business. The impoverished people are exploited and the rich are at the receiving end of this underground deal which prolongs their lives. With hundreds of thousands people needing a viable organ for transplant, it is no surprise such an industry has taken off. There just are not enough donors to help the people who are in need of a lifesaving transplant. With the advances of technology and people living longer with a transplant, the demand for organs has increased exponentially. The global trade of selling organs and tissues for money has recently been discovered within the past few decades, with the advancements of technology making it possible. Numerous people pass away while still on the transplant list and just that many more are added to this ever-growing list every day. Finding a solution to this crime could lie with presumed consent laws, cadaver donation, global transplantation registry, holding the physicians responsible for reporting suspicious activity, global governance or just more education about the benefits of becoming a living or deceased organ and tissue donor. There are laws against the sale of human organs around the world, but limited enforcement of these laws. If the patient is willing to pay for an organ that would save and potentially extend their life, there will always be a black market for organ donation. In addition, if the donor is living in poverty or below, if an organ trafficking ring approaches this person with a promise to a gr... ... middle of paper ... ... money. It is difficult to expose every party that is involved but some can assume, according to UNODC, there is the recruiter who locates the victim, the persons who pick up the victims, staff and medical professionals located at the medical facilities, the recipient or the buyer and there has to be an organ bank that stores the organs and tissues. Finding a resolution to this lies within pinpointing all of the parts to this network of crime and bring persecution to each person involved. There are standards in place that prohibit the exploitation and sale of human organs and tissues, the problem is there is not strong enough enforcement to these standards. Educating law enforcement, medical professionals and the general population to the tactics of this underground business can help to reduce the criminals’ profits and help protect the future victims of this crime.

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