Cause and Effect Essay on Organ Donation and Sale Essay

The "Washington Post" recently reported on a Pakistani trafficking ring apprehended by local police involved in organ trafficking, and where 24 people were found ready for their kidneys to be removed (BudianiSaberi, 2008). Many are aware of the underground business but do not know of causes or the meaning of the term. Organ trafficking is the purchase of human organs for sale or transplant into another person. The Post reports that the number of global transplants involves the sale of the organ, with approximately 10 percent of every single transplantation (BudianiSaberi, 2008). In most cases the organ is a kidney, illegally sold from a living person with numerous countries prohibiting buying and selling of the illicitly obtained organs also banning surgeons from transplanted organs got through payment. Having the process to be prohibited by the World Health Organization (WHO) only requires the act of donation to be selfless (altruism). This paper aims to study the explanation given for the cause and effect on the trend of the trade of human organs. Organ donation and sale has been on the rise in the recent days and the causes include better health care, body integrity, relational ties and the effects are on moral repercussions, legislation, technology and interaction.

It is essential to first learn on the causes of the organ trade itself, with mirroring on the challenge of the whole planet tirelessly. It's the standard rule of business, demand exceeds supply for the organs, as like the statistic shows. According to 'The Post' in 2016, a total of 100791 individuals were eagerly waiting for kidney transplants to save their lives, and this is only in the United States. With 4761 reported deaths in the U.S for people waiting for a kidney transplant, while in 2014 17107 patients having the luxury of kidney transplants. This depressing revelation makes most citizens of developed countries travel to developing states to obtain a vital organ by purchasing it and having it replaced.

This significant demand makes the developing countries to have the emergence of criminal cartels that bait the poor, the uneducated in the society to sell their body organs by promising them of monetary gain and a healthier future. With most of these third world countries having their economy to be in distress the organ brokers use various ways to get the organs, for example in the above scenario the Pakistani gang used coercion as their method of obtaining the organs (Delmonico, 2009). A name used for this cross border business method of trafficking of organs is known as "transplant tourism." For this transplants services it happens in advanced hospitals in these third world countries, the first country known to have been the original of transplantation was India back in the 1980s. Following these countries like the Philippines, Pakistan, China, and Egypt joined the trade with organs allegedly said to have come from executed prisoners with them becoming commercial hubs for this replacements commerce.

Illegal transplants also identified to undergo in Kosovo, Turkey, and South Africa, with patients coming from East Asia, Taiwan, and Japan, rich middle East countries Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and also the United States and Western Europe. They have been an argument of the sale of human organs with liberals criticizing the prohibition of such trade saying why to ban such business if it can save people's lives. They argue the legalization of the trade will be an extension of a person's liberty, and this will allow many individuals to live healthy lives while at the same time, low-income people benefiting from it. And the consensus of the medical profession outlawing this organ trade is the moral view of having human organs, not as commodities for purchase or sale. Further criticizing the activity as fundamentally exploitative, looking at how the poor and vulnerable in the society sell to the rich and not vice versa.

Moreover, organ sellers in these countries receive a fraction that is very little compared to the patient who bought it, 100000-200000 dollars, and with this, less is done for the improvement of the economy. With many of these people who have sold their organs suffering from deteriorating of health, that also worsens their financial challenges plus a sense of hopelessness and societal isolation. The most transplants are done in private locations and evaluation that was inadequate before the operation and also the poor medical treatment. With this commercial transplants producing poor health results and a high risk of patient's surgical difficulties, related infections, and rejection of organs.

Recent technological upgrades of human organ transplantation have increased the number of individuals who are choosing the replacement of organs. The health care professionals and physicians are better placed to monitor and even restrict trafficking of human beings for the resolve of organ removal. Their significance is acting as a source of intelligence for people and has information access that can aid a greater understanding of trafficking networks for organs (Erin, 2003). The people who travel to countries that are involved in this trade often discuss their plans (out of necessity) with their health care provider, generally a physician who is usually a professional of transplantation. The meeting may consist of queries that are about the replacement process and requesting relevant materials of medical records and documentation. Furthermore, the individuals who return to their home countries may engage with physicians for follow up care that may require.

The interaction of physician and patient have three phases; according to the physician's role, the first phase is when the patient is investigating therapeutic options and the possibility of purchase of the organ. The second is the phase where the patient has made the decision and chosen to purchase the illegal transplant, and the third phase is the stage of posttransplantation. Health professionals or physicians who engage in this kind of activity, in which they are in a unique position to give patients necessary information about the legal and moral consequences of this illegal trade (Jafar, 2009). The physicians should also advise against telling their clients that the sale and purchase of human organs encourage the human trafficking trade. There is an argument that the business of organs is not as a result of a worldwide supply shortage, but it is linked instead to the replacement capabilities shift to the south of the globe. This disgraceful trade allows power and dominance for the global developed areas and takes advantage of the poor by capturing and later eliminating them because of their vulnerability and dispossessed. In rare circumstances, donors or victims will walk away content while patients return home with a new organ with a fresh breath of life. Although the significance and the complexity of the trade are in transition globally and slowly becoming a massive issue. The global demand, for donated organs, has grown experientially to most reprehensible ethical offenses, trafficking of organs have come to the surface divulging the people that are left deserted in the process of the organ trade occasion.

The main challenge of the trade is the absence of willingness so the law can be enforced, even though they are the legal prohibition of the trade government and political movements make little to no effort to seize the sale and purchase of organs. Several reasons can be identified for this; one is the trafficking of human organs does not look bad at the surface or harmful or morally wrong. With the situation seeming deceptively advantageous to both the seller and the buyer of the organs, while it is far from that in actuality. For instance, the idea of purchase of sex (prostitution) has been met with criticism, many accept it, so the buying of kidneys and other organs, in general, are widely seen as a legitimate solution for the organ shortage for transplantations (Efrat, 2016). There is even a struggle for governments to consider the participation of the trade of human organs as an offense, also if the law is being broken.

The patients who are fighting for their lives don't seem like criminal masterminds and law enforcement show mercy on them and physicians who look respectable in their profession hardly look like criminals who can illegally harvest organs from fellow human beings. The government's attitude on the crackdown of organ trade will sentence patients to treatment like dialysis, which is a disturbing treatment, and it also expensive for the patients or even worse leads to death. Human trafficking has many forms where organ trafficking is one of them, a global initiative that fights against human trafficking only focus on other modes like sex trade with little attention given to the organ trade. However the medical community have lobbied to abandon commercialization of transplantation of human organs, for example, in the year 2008, there was a joint venture by two international medical associations that founded the 'Declaration of Istanbul on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism' (Steering Committee of the Istanbul Summit, 2008). The association aimed to mobilize physicians and other health professionals in the organ trade condemnation and motivate distinct governments to encourage moral, self willing donations of organs.

The truth is that the illegal trafficking of human organs attacks people who are either sacrificing their bodies at their own expense or unwillingly surrendering with a price that is unknown to them that [can later disadvantage them. Sympathizers of the trade though understandable and despite growing awareness, the global organ trade is not well understood and this through lack of useful data and the nature of the problem which widespread all over the universe. A 'Forbes' article recently talked about allowing people to legally purchase and sell their body organs, insisting that people waiting for a liver or a kidney are 123000 people in the U.S alone. Arguing that with growing technological advances, many people who need an organ or willing to sell theirs will do it in a safe environment with minimal risks of infection or death.

Conclusion

In summary, the view on the trade is to pass legislation of banning the human organ trade with harsh punishments for any culprits caught in the act and vigorous enforcement (the case in Pakistan) because without enforcement of the law the prohibitions will mean little to the cartels and human traffickers out there. The authorities need to be pressured so sustenance can be felt, with demonstration, advocacy from physicians, and criticism from the media can be useful. So robust enforcement on these criminals will implement the policies and donation of organs that are self willing will further the agenda of abolishing the trade eternally.

References

BudianiSaberi, D. A., & Delmonico, F. L. (2008). Organ trafficking and transplant tourism: A commentary on the global realities. American Journal of Transplantation, 8(5), 925-929. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02200.x

Delmonico, F. L. (2009). The implications of the Istanbul Declaration on organ trafficking and transplant tourism. Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation, 14(2), 116-119. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/co-transplantation/fulltext/2009/04000/the_implications_of_istanbul_declaration_on_organ.3.aspx

Efrat, A. (2016). Global efforts against human trafficking: The misguided conflation of sex, labor, and organ trafficking. International Studies Perspectives, 17(1), 34-54. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/isp/article-abstract/17/1/34/1813351

Erin, C. A., & Harris, J. (2003). An ethical market in hu...