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Legalizing Organ Sales There are multiple people out in the world today that are being put on waiting list to receive lifesaving organs. To be specific “At this moment, more than 105,000 people in the U.S. Are waiting for an organ, four thousand more people are added to the national waiting list each day.” (WebMD) When your health is being determined by a number then that is a huge issue. If the government were to legalize organ sales there would not be as big of an organ shortage as there is today. There would also be a decline in the deaths of people that are being put on the waiting list. The number of abductions/murders for organs would decline. As well as there would be a big rise in the amount of people that are willing to donate. Instead people are so desperate that they are actually doing some pretty horrible things. Organ harvesting for instance for instance, is where the removal or organs and tissues from the recently deceased to be put into the living. At time they do not even have to be deceased for people to be so desperate. There are articles about how doctors are even killing in hospitals for tissues and organs. 2009 in Ohio there was a teenage boy who was injured in a snowboarding accident. He suffered a close head injury which is where the head does not penetrate the skull. The family of the teenage claimed that the doctors as well as a representative of CORE (Cent for Organ Recovery & Education) harvested his organs before he was dead. The doctors had told the family that there son was pronounced dead, which he really was not. So the family decided that they would take out the breathing tube, and it was then when they realized that the doctors were not being truthful about the whole situation. It is shocking to me that even doctors now are going as far as to kill somebody because they are in such need as organs. Yes there are other people in the world that are gravely ill but is it right to kill a poor innocent teenager just for this reason' If the doctor that did this has no remorse what so ever for what he has just done then there is a big problem and he needs to get his license revoked. There have even been stories on the news where people are actually digging up people that have recently been buried just to take out the organs this is called, grave robbers or body snatchers. There are people out there that are actually abducting children from schools, play yards and even their own homes for their organs. The people abducting these children are taking their hearts, eyes, and kidneys and then selling them to either hospitals or desperate families. It's said to think that there are actual families that are willing to except these organs. Granted the families probably do not realize where these organs are coming from. They are blindsided to the fact that people are murdering others for a few extra bucks. If the government would actually open their eyes and see what is going on in the world, and stop worrying about how many stokes it took to get to hole 18. There will still be problems around because nobody's perfect but at least innocent people won't have to loose their lives every day. There has also been studies that has shown that poor people are being targeted for their organs this is called, organ trafficking or people also call it the Organ Black Market. People that had there kidney removed because they were promised money they have yet to have seen a dime. When the kidneys are removed they then sell to doctors that due their own practices. Those are really the only ones that are willing to buy a kidney and transplant it into somebody else. In different countries people are actually advertising to give organs up so that they can feed their families. It's very sad to see that people are actually auctioning off their own organs to help their family. Especially that people would be that desperate to buy an organ this way. People do this with no problem it's like there posting an ad on Craigslist in the newspaper. “More than 6,500 people a year - -about 18 a day-- die before that organ ever becomes available.” (Statistic Brain) These numbers are very outrageous. When there are eighteen people a day dying because they are number ten on a waiting list instead of number nine, this concept to me is mind boggling. The waiting list for organ transplants gets longer and longer every day. The government thinks that this process is okay to do; they are the reason why the death tolls for people in need of organs are so high. The people that are placed on this waiting list do not want to die. That is why they want to be put on this list to receive an organ. I feel that when they are put on this list it's kind of like teasing them with their lives. Like dangling a piece of meat in there face when they haven't eaten in two weeks. There are ways to help people that are waiting for an organ, its called dialysis. Dialysis helps people that are suffering from kidney failure it basically does some of the same things that a healthy kidney would perform. It filters your blood to get rid of all of the harmful wastes, extra water as well as salt. There are two types of dialysis: Dialysis and peritoneal. Dialysis is performed by a machine which is the most common way. Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen to filter the blood. Dialysis sounds like it help and it does but it just drags the dying process out. If there was no such thing as dialysis the death tool of kidney failure would rapidly increase. Doctors today are even trying to find “substitutes” to use for organs in humans since we do have a shortage in organs. They are using certain animals; researching this topic I have found that they are using pigs. They have chosen pigs because, “pigs organs are the right size and functions.” (Pigs:Source of Replacement Organs for Humans') Genetically engineered pigs are given, humans proteins so that it can help humans in the end, the humans body will not reject the organ as quickly. There have not been any operations to put the pigs organs in. there are still too many risks because pigs have many pathogens that would kill humans if they were entered into the body. So scientists are raising these certain pigs in cleaner places so that the pathogens are less likely to effect. It's weird that people are actually willing to test this theory out on people. If it helps then great that would be more resources to those who are in desperate measures. I just never would have thought that a pig would have been the animal that would have chosen. I was going to say that they would use monkey's organs only because for years scientists have always been comparing humans to monkeys and how we used to me monkey in the beginning of life and turned gradually changed through the years. Researchers are also trying to change the medicine world all together by actually inviting artificial organs. There are some artificial organs that have been successfully developed like; artificial gut, artificial wombs, heart and artificial retina. There are others that are either still being developed or they are under clinical trials like: artificial bones, artificial blood vessels and artificial skin. This is an amazing concept for people to actually be able to make organs that are working just like human organs. It is also kind of scary as well though, if there are scientist that are actually capable to make functional organs it's only a matter of time until they are able to make an artificial human. There is a movie that was created in 2010 called, Repo Men. Starring; Jude Law, Forest Whitaker and Alice Braga. This movie would give anybody the chills as to what the future is in for if all of these artificial organs are going to work. Jude Law is a repo man, not for cars but for organs. When patients would buy an artificial organ on credit and not be able to pay for it then the repo men would be out to get you and they would reposes whatever organ it was that they couldn’t pay for. It didn't matter if they were famous or not they would still get there organs repossessed. The Repo men would knock out the person sometimes. Or they would have been wide awake the men just cut them open and leave them behind and let them bleed out. This movies popped into my head when I was doing research on artificial organs. This is exactly what is going to happen in the future when people are going to be so desperate for an organ they are just going to charge it on their card. This is then going to create a whole lot of problems in the future as well there will be so much more murders. Looking at the statistics for 2012 there are many interesting numbers on the website. From the number of transplants performed in 2011 to how many people are waiting for certain organs. Kidneys have the largest numbers of people that are waiting for a transplant with 90,564. Heart/lungs are the lowest with 61 people on the waiting list. If the government were to legalize organ sales then the amount of patients on the waiting list will dramatically decline. There would also be a major decline in the amount of deaths there are to people waiting for organs. I have a family member that has actually gone through the kidneys waiting list. My great aunt was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of twenty-nine she is now sixty and has had two kidney transplants. When she was diagnosed for the first time she was put on the waiting list she waited for nearly three years and was also put on dialysis. One day she had gone to the bathroom and her eyes were very yellow. She had made a doctor's visit where they had told her that the dialysis was not working and then was asked if nay of her family members were willing to give up one of their kidneys to help her. Only one of her six children were a perfect match, her son. The doctors told her that there was a great chance that her body would reject the kidney even if her son was a perfect match. Of course her body did reject the kidney so then she was put back onto the waiting list. After this kidney failure she became very ill the kidney was killing her. There wasn't going to be much time for her to be put back on the waiting list. Her husband then tested himself to see if he would be a match, he was perfect. So they did another kidney transplant, so far everything is working out for her. If it were not for her family when would of died a long time ago. I feel that this is a very good example of how the government's idea on the waiting list is complete crock. “90 percent of Americans say they support donation, but only 30 percent know the necessary steps to become an organ donor” (The Waiting List) When talking to my aunt about her personal situation she said that the whole system is very bad. When she was about to die the first time and pleaded to the CORE council about seeing if she could be bumped up on the waiting list. They denied her because the people on the list have already waited so long. The ironic thing about this was that the people that were at the top of this list were not as sick as the rest of the people on the list. There are multiple stories around the world just like my aunts. There are even children as young as four months old. In 2011 there was a four month baby in Florida that had a heart transplant. When she was still in her mother's womb she was diagnosed with a life treating congenital heart defect. Just at four months old she had received a heart transplant. After her transplant the patient said that she acts like a “normal” baby again. If it were not for that heart this little girl would be dead. But as the statistics point out that heart and lung transplants are the lowest of all of the organs to be transplanted. I feel that a lot of people are afraid to be an organ donor only because they are afraid of what people are saying about organ donation. There are rumors that are going around that if you were in an accident and the ambulances see that your driver's license say that you are an organ donor they will let you die just so that others can get your organs. This statement is completely and utterly false. There is nothing to prove that this has ever happened. I would to be afraid if I ever heard this before I did all of this research. There is also a rumor that has been going around that when the doctors open you up to receive your organs that you have agreed to that they will end up taking the other organs that are needed. There was also a comment that was made by people saying that you cannot live after giving up a certain organ for something. God would not of given you two to share you are meant to have two for a reason. Personal I think that this is a crock maybe god gave everyone two so that when others organs are not capable to work then others could give theirs up to help. You can live with just one kidney you do not need both of them. I asked some people that I work with if they are an organ donor and they all said no but one. The reason they gave me was because they were scared about what they read on the internet. The one that said that they were an organ donor said it was because she had a family member before they passed away that was put on the waiting list for a specific organ. That was never available they too, as well as I, think that this system is messed up and needs to get fixed. I feel that everybody should do research on organ donation before they just jump to conclusions. This is a very strange topic to get involved with, I know but it needs to be talked about and everybody needs to know how much of importance they would be if they helped everyone and save lives. I'm not saying that the people who are very into organ donning should put their children as organ downers to help others. I feel that it should be a personal decision and there are people that say they can't give their organs up because of their religion. Doctors are saying that if this were legalized that it would take the “caring” out of the whole donation process. They would not care about what the person in need of the kidney need it for. They are just wanting to get there big pay day. I say why not' It's there body, there would be so many more benefits it they were to legalize organs sales. Because people would be doing it for all of the wrong reasons and there would not be any “care” behind it all. People would just be interested into the money. But if you think about it and people just give there kidneys for money the shortage of organs would dramatically decrease and then the price for an organ would also decrease as well. If it ever does get legalized there is going to be people wanting to do this to get the payout. But I feel that there should be stipulations when it comes down to it. There should be background checks, health checks etc. there needs to be stipulations when it comes down to legalizing organ sales because if there would be drug addicts just willing to give away there kidney for money for drugs. Not everybody's going to give their organs up for a good cause so I could see why doctors are saying that it would give up the caring aspect in organ donation. But when people actually stop donation their organs then what' People are just going to start dying left and right because nobody wants to give up a kidney or a heart. There is always going to be family members willing to do whatever they could for the person in need. But there is always the chance for body to reject the organ. I know that the government will probably never completely change their ways on legalizing organ sales. Even if they don't completely change, a little change can go a long ways. For example; changing the rules on the waiting list to receive an organ. Not just by how long you have been on the waiting list but how critical your health is. I mean everybody’s heath is very important but there are people that are critically ill that are more in need of that organ then others. I just know that if I were ever to be put into the position where I were about to die because I wasn't the right number for the day then you better believe I would do whatever I need to do to get that organ. Even go to the black market to pay as much as I had to. I have a full life to live just like everybody else on this planet. They should also find out why organs that have been transplanted are rejected from peoples body. There needs to be more research on making sure that organs stay healthy when they are transplanted. Once there is a full prove plan to make sure that organs stay well there would be less people that would have to have three transplants in a five year span, which would cut down tremendously on the shortages. I could honestly say that before my great-aunt told me all about her story, I would have probably not cared as much as I do today. I was a part of the statistics by saying I was an organ donor on my license but never really took it seriously. I never would have ever given it a second chance it my great-aunt would have told me about the waiting list. I mean I knew about the concept of the waiting list but I didn't know how much actually went into it. All of this research proves that the government does need to legalize organ sales it would provide great benefit in many ways. It would provide many more lives to many people that are in need, the waiting list would almost disappear completely. I do not see there being any disadvantages to having organ donation legalized. Resources 1. Bilefsky, Dan. “Black Market for Body Parts Spreads Among the Poor in Europe/” The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 June 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012 2. Cummings, Denis. “Should It Be Legal to Sell Organs'” Should It Be Legal to Sell Organs' Dulcinea, 15 July 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. 3. Friedman, EA, and Al Friedman. “Payment for Donor Kidneys: Pros and Cons. “N.p.,2006. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. 4. Garypokin. “Hardfire DR. FINGER/ DR. BERLIN/ SALE OF HUMAN ORGANS/ UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.” Youtube. YouTube, 28 May 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. 5. Gregory, Anthony. “Why Legalizing Organ Sales Would Help to Save Lives, End Violence.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Monthly, 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. 6. Knox, Richard. “Should We Legalize the Market for Human Organs'” NPR. NPR, 21 May 2008. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. 7. Ritter, eter. “Legalizing the Organ Trade'” TIME. N.p., 19 Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. 8. Schachter, Abby W. “The Case for Legal Organ Sales.” Reason.com. N.p., 11 Nov. 2011. Web. 20A Oct. 2012. 9. Smith, Lewis. “Sale of Human Organs Should Be Legalized, Say Surgeions.” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 5 Jan. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2012 10. “Society Opinions.” Should the Sale of Human Organs Be Legal' Debate.org. N.p., Web. 23 Oct. 2012. 11. Wilkinson, Steven. “The Sale of Human Organs.” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). N.p., 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2012.