Everybody dies, but one's kidneys may not have to. Organ transplant, as defined by World Health Organization (2013), is “the transfer of human cells, tissues or organs from a donor to a recipient with the aim of restoring function(s) in the body”. In Hong Kong, not everyone in need has such opportunity to receive a donated organ as the limited supply of both living and cadaveric organs has failed to meet the soaring demand. To alleviate the situation, it is pivotal to enlarge the pool of donors by establishing effective communication means between donors and their families, enhancing the quality of healthcare professionals, and introducing standardized procedures for healthcare professionals to follow in handling the cases of deceased donors. …show more content…
The ascending success rate of organ transplant (Buckley, 2000), the refinement in screening techniques, and the better usage of immunosuppressant drugs (Caplan, 1984) have contributed to an increase in possible beneficiaries of organ donation, resulting in a greater demand for organ transplant. Meanwhile, factors including the improved trauma care, the more effective safety measures applied in traffic accidents, and the low incidence of confirmation of “brain death”, which is the neurological criterion for a donor to be subjected to cadaveric organ donation, were found responsible for the relatively small number of donors (Buckley, 2000).
Organ shortage adversely affects both individuals and the society at large. As mentioned above, failure in receiving the organ in time causes mortalities in patients. Similar scenarios appear not only in Hong Kong but also in other developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, where organ shortage was found claiming three lives every day in 2011 (Perman & Bettany, 2011). The decease or the prolonged agony of the patients concerned may also cast both physical and psychological pressure on their respective families, friends, and the healthcare providers
Consequently, the rise of selling organs on the black market has risen. It is set up by a broker who plans the surgery in a foreign country with the help of nurses and obviously the surgeon. This method of receiving a live organ illegally has caught the attention of many people who desperately wait years on the donors list for many reasons. According to MacKay’s research, a living kidney could possibly live up to twice as long as a cadaver kidney. Anxiously, people who live in extreme poverty await to sell a kidney for as little as one thousand dollars in hopes to ease their financial situations.
In Joanna MacKay's article, 'Organ Selling Will Save Lives", sides with the legalization of organ selling, due to her main focus she emphasizes on kidney failure. In ignorance of government, patients all over the globe are dying on the wait for a kidney transplant. She presents her ideas that government should not prohibit the sale of organs. She writes "lives shouldn’t be wasted they should be saved". Her thesis is understandable and she supports it with good reasons.
These events have raised many ethical, moral and societal issues regarding supply, the methods of organ allocation, the use of living donors as volunteers including minors.² Due to the high costs of organ transplants, most patients use a combination of sources. Some patients can finance the transplant procedure through their primary insurance coverage and use savings and other private funds to pay for other expenses. Many patients work with community fundraising groups to complete their transplant financial strategy.² The costs of an organ transplant will vary for each patient, based on insurance coverage, the type of transplant and the location of the transplant center. Patients will also have a lifetime of medical expenses for follow-up care and
During the previous decades, society’s behavior with regard to organ donation remains reluctant. A survey showed that although people plainly accept to offer their organs for transplantation, when a person dies, his or her relatives often refuse donation. To be able
In 2017, 510 people deceased donors donated their organs, saving over 1,400 people, and giving them the gift of organ donation. In 2017. ‘The most important thing that helps a family's decision is their knowing the donation decision of their loved one' (Donate Life, 2017) only 60% of Australians discuss their wishes for organ donation with their family, meaning the other 40% of Australian families are more than likely to decline organ donation, this is one of the biggest barriers for Australian organ donation. Also, during a conducted survey between the year 12 health class and other students, within figure 1, it can be shown that only 13.4% of people were registered to become an organ donor in Australia, compared to Australia's 76% (Transplant Australia, 2016). Furthermore, 40% of Australians don’t know if their religion supports organ and tissue donation, and 20% of families that declined donation in 2014 did so out of religious or cultural concerns, this amount is huge, if people who were educated in whether or not their religion accepts organ donation, a whole 20% of families would allow their loved one to proceed with organ and tissue transplantation, this barrier is one of the largest ones to date.
In the United States alone, 19 people die every day waiting on an organ transplant that could have saved their lives. The only solution to this problem is getting more drivers registered as organ donors. It has been proposed that the states automatically register their drivers as donors and it is up to the drivers to go through the procedure of opting out if that is what they wish. I agree with this proposal because you still have the freedom to make your choice but most people would not want to go through the process of opting out, so the number of organ donors would be greatly increased.
In Miriam Schulman’s essay, “Kidneys for Sale: A Reconsideration,” published on the Markkula Center website in April of 2012 discusses the importance of Kidney Transplants. Schulman is able to accomplish something that is valued in persuasive writing. She is able to express all perspectives on the selling of organs more especially the Kidney. The author gives factual evidence to back up certain claims within the piece. Schulman purpose of this essay is to inform the reader about Kidney transplants and all that comes with it.
Furthermore, Joanna MacKay states, “Legalization of organ sales would give governments the authority and the opportunity to closely monitor these live kidney operations” (160). With that being said, MacKay provides yet another statement to further her point; legalization of organ sales would make this process safe. Also, MacKay claims that the risk of kidney donation does not justify for the outlawing of this process; the benefits outweigh the risks. In viewing the dangers and advantages of this process, her point is arguably understandable and
More than 120,000 people died last year while waiting for a donor, donation of organs costs nothing (“Why be an Organ Donor”). Becoming an organ donor opens up various options such as organ donation or body donation. Body donation is where the bodies will be given to universities or schools around America, where the students of medicine department will do research on the body to figure out why the organ failed (“Body Donor Program”). The body will not be presented to the public and after it is researched it will be cremated and returned to the family as ash 's (“Body Donor Program”). With that being said some of the organs will be perfect to donate, but some may not meet all the requirements for donation , such as correct blood types, free of sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes, and mental health issues ( "Saving Lives and Giving Hope by Reducing the Organ Waiting
According to MacKay’s research, in the year 2000, “2,583 Americans died while waiting for a kidney transplant” (120) and according to Matas, “over 6% of waiting candidates die annually” (2007). "With over 60,000 people in line in the United States alone, the average wait for a cadaverous kidney is ten long years" (120). As the reader can see, MacKay is very credible with stating factual statistics in regards to the urgent need of kidney donations and she has Matas to back her up with similar statistics. These statistics show the reader that MacKay’s argument is a strong
The text is directed toward medical personnel because it causes them to question, “what if”, organ sales legalized or what would they gain from this legalization? His article is also directed towards people in need of an organ, and organ donors. Gregory is successful when he uses logical, emotional and ethical tactics to persuade his audience on why organ sales would be beneficial. Some logical tactics Gregory uses to persuade his audience is giving the number of how many people die waiting for a transplant. He states, “...there are only about 20,000
There are nearly 100,000 people waiting patiently on organ transplant waiting lists, but sadly, on an average day, less than 80 people receive donor organs and approximately 19 die waiting for transplants. Even with
Organ donations and transplants is an extremely effective form of saving lives, but many people don’t donate their organs after death. If people donated their organs after they died, they could save countless lives and benefit so many people. Some people don’t realize the effect their organs could have on others or the amount of time recipient patients spend waiting for those organs. Donating one’s organs after death should become a law. Not only is one saving the patient’s life or giving them a second chance at it, but they are also giving the recipient’s family more time with them.
Adding kidneys to the accepted list of organ sales can cause an uproar both good and bad, but may overall benefit those in need. The process of organ donations in the United States is an unstable procedure, but with the improvement in the system black markets can be stopped, awareness can be improved, and more lives will be saved. The effects and outcomes from those in need of a transplant are quite impressive. As of August 2017, 116,000 men, women, and children were on the national transplant waiting list.
Organ donation is currently the only successful way of saving the lives of patients with organ failure and other diseases that require a new organ altogether. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services there is currently 122,566 patients both actively and passively on the transplant list. This number will continue to increase, in fact, every ten minutes another person is added to the list. Unfortunately, twenty-two of these people die while waiting for an organ on a daily basis. Each day, about eighty Americans receive a lifesaving organ transplant.