I'm just watching an article on the news that in certain poor areas of Punjab, Pakistan 50% of the adult population has sold a kidney, and when their children are old enough they will sell their kidneys too. I don't know what the answer is but there is something terribly wrong with the world when people have to sell body parts to live a miserable exsisitence. They get the equivalent of around £800 for a kidney, which is a vast amount to these families - but what price would we put on our health?

I read in the Scotsman recently too that 'transplant tourism' is on the increase as they're aren't enough donors in this country.

Is this a win/win situation as the doctor interviewed said - the rich get better and the poor get more money than they've ever seen before. Personaly l I think it's a lose/lose situation...I don't think I would want a kidney knowing that the donor had to sell it to feed his family

It is a very sad world with doctors who you imagine to have some kind of social conscience, suggesting it's win/win!
What a sorry state of affairs. It is however a sad fact of life.
Karen :rolleyes:

I agree with you chamsong, I find this sort of thing terribly distressing to have to sell your own body parts for money is beyond belief, no-one should be used as spare body parts. Trafficing is rife at this sort of thing.

I am all for the idea that everyone who dies is automatically able to have their organs harvested unless carrying a card that it is against their wishes.  When your dead you don't need them, to me this makes perfect sense and should be in practise already.

It would put an end to this trade, as I truly believe many in these poorer countries are forced to do it and not all happy volunteers, imagine your child being made to give a kidney for money when at the legal age to do so, no wonder our country is being flooded, life needs to be made better for everyone, automatic donar release on those dying and dead in this country would be a start.