Why is there any indignation about the sale of organs by living people, when it's OK to donate them?

Question

Thanks for all your nice answers. The present case of Dr Kumar, arrested in Nepal, is interesting.

Answer 1

In case the person doing the selling is not the owner - makes life tricky for the real owner.

Answer 2

If you have to ask, you don't understand.

Answer 3

We like to call that former action "human trafficking" or even "murder."

Organ donation is taken place after death, as the body does no longer need their physical organs. Although some religions would disagree with this idea.

Answer 4

The indignation isn't in the selling of the organs in itself, but in the means the organs are generally aquired. Some bought organs might have been taken from unwilling donors.

Answer 5

The indignation in it is that people selling organs are most of the time poor people being exploited that way. It just feels morally wrong.

Donating an organ is an act of love for the other. No financial gain, no exploitation. Just an act of pure, unselfish love.

Peace,

Tiffy

Answer 6

Firstly, because the fear is that greater numbers of people will sell their organs out of financial desperation. Organ donation by living people does come with health risks, and it's felt that the poor would be the ones taking that risk far, far more than the rich. Also, the opportunity for exploitation would be *tremendous* -- exploitation is already happening on the black market, and it would only get bigger with making the selling of organs by living people legal.

Secondly, if the cultural barriers and misunderstandings about organ donation could be overcome, there would be no need for living people to sell organs. The selling of organs does *not* have to be a reality. The market is created only because so few people are willing to sign agreements to donate their organs upon their death, or to donate the organs of a loved one that is brain dead before the machines are turned off.

I carry an organ donation card in my wallet, and have talked to all of my family to ensure that my organs will be donated upon my death.

Answer 7

When people donate, they don't think of what they are going to get in return. Like when you donate some money to a charity, you won't think of it as buying something. It is out of love and care that someone would want to donate something that is so important to them (eg. organs, money...) As long as whatever they donate would not harm themselves or harm others, it is perfectly fine to donate.

When you allow people to sell organs, people are most likely to consider the monetary of their organs. Think of people who are really poor and have to rely on the community to survive. Probability of them selling their organs to have a better life? They are most likely to view organs as products, more likely to sell their organs.

Exploitation of the poor would definitely occur. People will think of the price tag of every human body. It will then seem perfectly alright to get a US$ 500 kidney from a exploited poor man to save a millionaire.

To allow people to sell organs is like allowing people to smoke cigarettes. No good things will come out of it.