Is There a Market For Living Organ Donors?

A 35-year-old healthy man has been made redundant by the factory he used to work in. His wife has recently left him, as he cannot support her, and he has become depressed due to losing her respect. He is also still grieving the death of his son, who died from leukemia at the age of 5. As he is wandering the streets, he notices an advertisement in a shop window.

Wanted
One functioning kidney to save the life of a 15-year-old girl!
Potential donors will be morally and financially rewarded.

The advertisement makes him think. He has two kidneys and he is healthy. He knows that donating one of his kidneys will not be without risk, but he also knows that it could potentially save the life of a child and ease some of the guilt he feels following the death of his own son. It would also give him enough money to get back on his feet, try to win his wife back, and set up a business of his own. It seems that all parties in the transaction would benefit.

• What are the ethical implications of creating a market in organ donation?
• What other methods could be introduced to increase the availability of organs for transplant?

Apply Theory (Specific Professional Healthcare Competencies + Clinical Medical Ethical Principles) to Practice in order to provide Optimal Patient-Centered Care (OPCC)

Clinical Ethics and Law, Second edition. Carolyn Johnston, Penelope Bradbury, Series editor: Janice Ryme