25. In Depth

Organ trafficking is much more prevalent in society than many people might think. According to the article, “ First Case of Organ Trafficking in the US,” written by David Porter of the New York Times, organ trafficking is happening worldwide. He states, “An estimated 10 percent of kidney transplants — 5,000 to 6,000 each year — are done illegally.” The number of people who are dying while waiting for an organ is certainly not decreasing and if anything it is going up. In 2008 in the United States 4,540 people died while waiting on the kidney transplant list (First Case of Organ Trafficking in the US?, n.p). As more people learn about the black market for organ transplantation, they begin to contemplate whether or not the value of their life is worth committing a crime. Organ trafficking has been illegal in the United States since 1984 and is also illegal in almost all parts of the world (n.p.). Kidneys, livers and lungs are most often transplanted because humans can live without one or some of the organ.  Besides being illegal, many view organ trafficking as unethical. In most cases some wealthy patient in need of an organ pays off a poor donor from a third world country. Although it may seem like a ‘win-win’ situation, the poor are desperate, vulnerable, and taken advantage of. Most Families in third world countries make about one dollar a day, but if they sell one of their organs they could gain about ten thousand dollars in just one day.