Science and Society

I suppose there is nothing really unethical about selling one's body parts voluntarily, but I get chills when I think of Burke and Hare supplying cadavers to medical schools back in the 19th century. Their practice advanced from merely supplying the bodies of the dead, to supplying the bodies of those who died from their tender mercies. By extension, that practice could be "revived" today, by murdering people, then harvesting their organs. There doesn't appear to be a lower limit to the depravities of humankind.

Should they legalize the selling of one's own organs, wouldn't you think that they would put in checks so that some sort of organ havesting ring couldn't spring up?

Well, TM, they have checks so you can't buy or sell illegal guns or drugs, too. What man can imagine, man can do.

I am extremely terrified of any surgery so no, not even for $50k or more.

I think it is a brillant idea....It gives the opportunity for a life spared. On the other hand, it also gives a person the ability to get out of debt without having to file for bankrupsy. "Saving a life and helping our economy!"

For a good price and a good hospital/surgical team, yes, I would. Being poor is worse then losing a kidney

No, I won't not sell my kidney because someone in my family might need it. Then I would donate my kidney to my family member.

This is the stupidest idea out there, because this is a case in which the simple idea will work best:

Just don't give kidneys to those who don't agree to become organ donors. If you are not a registered organ donor (central registry, family has no right to overrule after death), you go to the end of the transplant list and stay there. Besides minors, you HAVE to be on the donor list for 2 years before you're considered eligible.

If you don't want to give, then you don't get to receive. Simple. Fixed.

I MYSELF THINK ITS CRAZY. BUT I HAVE A SON THAT NEEDS A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AND I WOULD GIVE HIM MINE FOR FREE,IF I COULD.BUT I CAN'T, AND NO ONES KIDNEY WILL MATCH MY SONS, BECAUSE HIS BLOOD ANTIBODIES OR WAY OVER. AND WE CAN'T FIND A MATCH. MY SON IS 25 YEARS OLD.AND TO THE QUESTION, YES I WOULD SELL OR GIVE IT UP FREE AS LONG AS I CAN SAVE A LIFE.

If it was available in the U.S. for us to sell our organs, I'd do it in a heartbeat (no pun intended). As a divorced parent for the past 6 years, I have struggled, fallen, picked myself back up and struggled on...and I'm tired of it. I don't have a huge load of debt, but I also don't have any money saved for retirement or emergencies beause I can't afford to. We don't live lavishly, and $50,000 wouldn't allow us much of a lifestyle change...but it sure would help get the wolf away from the door and allow us to breathe easier. I'd sell a kidney to make my family's life easier - absolutely.

The thought of it grosses me out but on the other hand I can see the benefit. What happens if there is remorse down the line, does the person sue to get their kidney back (: I was thinking about parents who give up there kids for adoption and change their mind later.

I'm on a fence post on this one. While I see the need for more organs for transplantees, I don't think selling them would be the best idea long term. I think cloning would have to take this job in the long run. But we'd only clone the organ itself, not the whole human. However, we'd need to find a better way to get DNA than using stem cells first.

Most people would sell a kidney. Just offer a little more than the cost of health care, food and gasoline.

No, I would not sell anything or any parts of my body. I think this is very risky. Families may be so desperate for parts that they will cross the line (causing the donor to die).

Heck yeah!!! I got student loan debts to pay off. I will more likely die from the labor intensive lifestyle that is needed to pay off the debt. So a kidney would be nothing.

How much will they pay for my left arm?

In the long run, it would benefit far more people than it would hurt. We can live with one kidney and allowing people the right to sell a kidney would improve the lives of thousands of people waiting on transplants.

As with anything with good intentions, there will always be people who find ways to exploit the system; we can not afford to not act out of fear of what a few bad people may do when this is a win-win for all involved.

I already sold my soul for a full tank of gas, so to sell a kidney or a "mans bean" would be ok. I dont really see anything wrong if it is done by a respected doctor under appropriate conditions.
Got any buyers?

Make it 100K tax free. Use best hospital and doctors, then might do it. The estates of organ donors should also be paid for each body part mined at death.

Besides the posts about the pros and cons of selling body parts, there's a definite undercurrent of how desperate some people are in the context of the economy. People are actually willing to sell bits of themselves to find a way out of the straits they're in. This is not a good sign for this nation and shows the utter incompetence and/or paucity of feeling for the people who have elected our "leaders."

I read a report a few years back of a guy getting 250k and hospital expenses. But there can be serious long term health issues.

If it were ever legalized I would suggest mandatory multi-day classes to teach about the risks. I don't want to hear people crying about how they didn't know. Regulate the poo out of it.

I might consider it for a million. Not 50k - no way.

I donated a kidney. No problem.
58 years old. Person I saved is living a normal life...no more "prison" and dread of dialysis. Me, just fine and would recommend it to everyone who can and would save a life.