It is a well-known and very sad reality in Iran that some people have to resort to selling their kidneys for survival. These pictures are taken in Iran from banners stuck to a wall.
“Kidney donation, B+”, note that “donation” does not mean this transaction does not include transfer of money.
“Twenty-three-year-old youth with blood type O+ ready to sell kidney at proper price. Call this number: …..”
Source: My IranÂ
This is beyond sad.
Comment by serendip — July 30, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
Why should it be illegal? It would be helping someone. And if it is to survive or to get out of debt, it should be ok (As long as it is not to get money to splurge). Then illegal stealing of certain body parts would not happen.
Comment by m weedman — December 3, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Weedman, have you ever heard of slippery slopes? Organ selling brings us to a situation where poor people become walking organ banks, the value of human life becomes more measurable by money rather than by anything actually worthwhile, and a large organ market would immediately increase demand a thousandfold, as those with money would be able to destroy their bodies with drink and drugs, and replace their parts immediately. Phenomenons like China’s traffiking in the organs of people kept in prisons and concentration camps would become a worldwide phenomenon.
Don’t go there, man. Just don’t. The closest, and in my opinion most accurate, description of a world where a human life becomes valued by the body’s organs is in Larry Niven’s sci-fi books about organleggers (criminals who specialize in organ theft). I don’t want to live in a world like that, and, trust me, neither do you.
Comment by Roman Kalik — December 4, 2007 @ 12:27 am
Mine are for sale: O+, in good health. What is the bottom line?
mmy best, Stephen
Comment by Steogeb Angekk — March 31, 2009 @ 8:50 pm