Some critics question proponents` assumptions that legalization will completely eliminate the black market in organs or its problems. For example, one scientist argues that once organ trafficking was legalized in Iran, he didn`t stop selling organs under the table. [108] Instead, people did business outside the state-sanctioned system to acquire organs from more desirable (i.e., healthier) donors. Although allegations of organ trafficking are difficult to substantiate due to a lack of reliable evidence and data, cases of illegal organ trafficking have been brought to court and prosecuted. Individuals and entities prosecuted included criminal gangs,[45][50] hospitals,[51] third-party organ brokers,[52] nephrologists,[12] and individuals who attempted to sell their own organs. [53] Organ shortage carries a high risk of preventable death. This is not just a problem in the UK, but worldwide. An immediate solution? Legalization of the sale of organs. Given that people living in poverty are often in debt or need money to meet their own basic needs and those of their families, they would predictably face social or legal pressure to pay their bills by selling their organs if organ sales were allowed.
We would therefore be harming people living in poverty by introducing a legal market that would expose them to such pressures. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), illegal organ trafficking occurs when organs are harvested from the body for commercial purposes. [24] Despite regulations against the sale of organs, this practice persists, with studies estimating that between 5% and 42% of transplanted organs are purchased illegally. [25] [26] [27] Research suggests that illicit organ trafficking is on the rise, with a recent report by Global Financial Integrity estimating that illicit organ trafficking generates profits between $600 billion and $1.2 billion annually, with a range in many countries. These countries include: The THO Act, although passed 15 years ago, neither restricted organ trafficking nor helped promote the deceased donation program to address organ shortages. The gap between the number of organs available and the number of patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation is widening worldwide. A licensed physician must confirm the following before removing a human organ from a person`s body after death: It must be emphasized that we are not defending the positive conclusion that organ sales must always be acceptable, let alone that there should be an unfettered market. Ample evidence suggests that the commercialization of human organs will eventually frown upon and destroy the public`s current desire to donate organs out of altruism.
A more promising option is to focus on groups rather than individuals. One could argue, for example, that rich countries have a duty to reduce poverty in poor countries. With this (plausible) hypothesis, one could then argue that if rich nations collectively offer money to poor nations (but only) in exchange for organs, this is not really an offer, but rather a threat (a threat to unfairly withhold resources if they do not hand over organs). Rich countries (it is argued) should give the money anyway and not charge organs for it. So what rich nations are doing is threatening to withhold resources to which poor nations have a moral right, unless poor nations hand over organs: a seemingly clear case of coercion. Although there are many laws on organ trafficking, law enforcement has failed to enforce these warrants. One of the barriers to law enforcement is the lack of communication between medical authorities and law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement officials` access to information about people involved in illegal organ transplants is often hampered by medical confidentiality. Without the ability to review medical records and medical histories to build an effective case against perpetrators, officials cannot fully enforce organ trafficking laws. [27] Many critics argue that criminal justice agencies must work with medical authorities to increase knowledge and enforcement of organ trafficking laws in order to effectively prohibit illicit organ trafficking.
Critics also support other criminal law measures to achieve this goal, such as prioritizing organ trafficking issues between local legislative bodies; multidisciplinary cooperation on cross-border crime; and police training in dealing with organ trafficking offences. [31] In addition, the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA), the federal law that confers legal authority for organ, eye, and tissue donation, defines a donation as “a voluntary, legally binding, unpaid transfer.” UAGA allows individuals to make the legal decision to donate their organs and tissues after death, and establishes donor registries such as Donate Life Colorado and Donate Life Wyoming Organ and Tissue Donor Registry as a valid donation document.