Selling kidney illegally Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selling kidney illegally - Essay Example This is why there is a rising demand for kidneys. That a black market in illegal kidney selling exists cannot be denied but it does so because supply from legal sources is unable to keep up with the rising demand nowadays. There are long waiting lists and many people are left with no choice but to seek kidneys from the abundant illegal sources. The problem is that this has become an affair that is unregulated. As a result, racketing is proliferating, the conditions under which the illegal transplants take place are usually highly risky, the poor in particular are exploited, and numerous other problems prevail. The only solution is regulations, which will be argued for in detail. We shall also cite the story of Moshe, a victim of the black market, and consider the experience of Iran, where the practice is legal, as a model. Unfortunately, this demand for kidneys cannot be met as long as kidney selling remains illegal. Officially conducted transplants are the only legal option but there is a shortage in the available number of willing donors. There are long waiting lines for people that need a new kidney transplant, and according to UNOS, the waiting list for kidney donations is the longest organ-specific waiting list. The number of patients on the U.S. waiting list reached â€Å"97,670 as of Dec. 31, 2007†¦ an increase of nearly 84 percent in 10 years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Medical News Today) The wait does not end quickly either, and according to a Harvard Medical School report, the average waiting time between listing and transplantation is projected to be nearly 10 years by 2010 (Gaston, 2003). Also, whilst people are waiting their health is ailing, and deaths are not rare. For example, â€Å"In 2007, nearly 6,000 people died while on the waiting list†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (ibid) So the wait is not only long , but also in many cases can prove to be fatal. The demand for kidneys is so great that a black market thrives to fulfill it. But it is unregulated and not without