Biological Colonialism Alert: Cash for Organs Plan in Singapore
One deputy, Halimah Yacob, said the large pool of unskilled foreign workers affected by the financial crisis may turn to donating organs to pay off debts they incurred to get jobs in this affluent city-state... The issue was debated Monday in parliament where Halimah, a ruling party lawmaker, said some foreign workers "will become a ready, vulnerable pool of organ donors to be exploited and abused." "To a desperate foreign worker, even a reimbursement of 10,000 (Singapore) dollars (6,600 US) would be attractive compared to going home empty-handed with a huge debt waiting for him," she was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. 
If organs can be purchased, it seems obvious to me that the rich will buy and the poor will sell. Singapore's plan to open the door to this form of biological colonialism has raised this very concern. From the story:Plans by Singapore to allow payments to living organ donors have run into opposition from some lawmakers who fear they may draw indebted foreign workers, according to press reports Tuesday.
Of course that would happen. The problem is, too many of the people who could benefit--and have the power--don't care.
I have always worried that we are heading toward what I call a Blade Runner world: the masses living in quasi anarchy, as the rich and powerful live lives of luxury behind high walls , marked by eugenics and the ability to exploit the weak. Setting up a commodities market in organs is a step down that path.
Labels: Organ Transplantation. Organ Selling. Biological Colonialism
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 7:32 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
I would think that the law of supply and demand would lead to more exploitation. That is, as more and more people turn to this to raise money for themselves, organs will become cheaper and the exploitation will be event greater.
Poor people in these places have been selling their organs for a long time because they see it as a means to survive. And yes, there is a demand for organs especially kidneys from living donors. If the structure were in place so they didn't have to rely on such actions. I'm not so sure that the health care system in the United States is much different with people bidding on organs even if they aren't technically next on "the list". For the right price you can buy health. If you have enough privilege you can most anything even body parts.
Live donor transplants are a very small part of the industry. The real victims in this multi-billion dollar industry are the individuals and their families that have been mislead into believing that organ, body part and tissue harvesting depends on a free source of the basic materials. Hospitals, doctors, big pharma, everybody makes millions. Its time to end the hypocrisy. The current system is a form of colonialism as well. We just dress it up as doing good. The donor and his family get a pat on the head and a box full of bills.
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