Moral Quandary
I was listening to the BBC news this morning on National Public Radio. They were doing a segment on China and the growing numbers of people who go over there to have an organ transplant. For $80,000 one can easilty get a liver or kidney transplant with little to no wait. You just go in, ask for whatever you need, and they will be able to supply it within three weeks, if not sooner. It has become a booming business for them. They are doubling the sizes of hospitals to accomodate all of the people coming for transplants.
Here is the moral part......
China is the number one country for executions. They outnumber all of the other countries in the world COMBINED. They are usuing the organs from the executed prisoners. When asked about it, they openly said that yes, indeed, they do. The prisoner willfully signs a permission slip to donate whatever is needed in order to give back to society.
The news piece went on to say that looking at some of these condemned prisoners just before a mass execution, it hardly seems likely that they "willfully" gave permission, however to have proof is another thing all together.
And then I started to think about it. If I were in need of a transplant, and was on a waiting list a mile long, and odds were that I probably would die before my name came up, would I really care where the organ came from? And add in the factor that it is far less to have the procedure done, if I were able to afford it , in China.
There is no doubt in my mind that what China is doing is just plain wrong, but would I die before I accepted an organ from someone executed? Die to prove my morality? Allow a relative to die because it morally is wrong?
With or without signing any papers, that prisoner is still going to get executed. And with or without them, there are still thousands of people waiting for vital organs and who will probably die before getting one. With or without this country's approval, they will still provide these organs.
I just don't know. Makes one think, doesn't it?
posted by Junie @ 2:43 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I would like to point out the fact “ability to pay” is a compelling factor in our own organ transplant industry, no less so than China. In US the uninsured are left out of the organ wait list, while the rich go on wait list and receive organs in days or weeks, too.
It is refered to as “wallet biopsy”. 2004 clinical data from ustransplant.org shows thousands of patients in US (top 10% of wait list) averaged a 10 day wait period for liver transplant.
Does that mean we too are selling organs?
As to the BBC reporter’s cliam it’s not possible for the condemned in China to consent to donation, I would like to point out that China is not the only country that allows the death row inmate to donate organ. In US it is allowed on a case-by-case basis.
For reference, here’s a report I found in the Chinese media, about a guy who turned himself in for killing his wife’s lover. Before he was to pay with his life, he decided to donate his organ as last act of redemption, and willed the organ donation compensation fund paid by the state to the victim’s family. In his interview he indicated the reason he called for press is to help bring awareness to organ donation in China:
http://news.sina.com.cn/s/p/2006-03-20/12299394605.shtml
Many such cases exists in China:
http://www.baidu.com/s?ie=gb2312&bs=%CB%C0%C7%F4+%BE%E8+%C6%F7%B9%D9&sr=&z=&cl=3&f=8&wd=%CB%C0%C7%F4+%BE%E8+%C6%F7%B9%D9+%C2%C9%CA%A6&ct=0
Some people would simply disregard Chinese media’s reporting about themselves, insisting on what they know about China, like Buddhist culture and people’s desire to die “whole” (probably learned from the movie “The Last Emperor”.)
It probably is still true to some degree, but folks forget most Chinese are not criminals. Does one really believe “wholeness” applies to criminals in Buddhism? Above article demonstrates a common rationale for the condemned to consent to organ donation - the Buddhist desire for redemption.
Chinese culture and Buddhist religious foundation makes organ donation difficult to promote. However the condemned often seek redemption and last act of contribution to family and society, under the same cultural and religious foundation.
Yes, the Chinese government’s organ donation compensation fund seems to be direct at this population, but its aim is to promote organ donation by the population at large.
You may find faults in it, as there do exist isolated cases of abuse contrary to the law stated. But who are we to deny their reality, and self-righteously accuse them with our western sensitivity?
I believe it is fair to say this issue is not only debatable, the Chinese are debating it - as the above search engine results show a range of opinions.
To me this really demonstrates that China’s problems isn’t all that black and white. China too have their dilemmas and choices, and their own history to evaluate (and overcome).
In contrast, to condemn China with emotionally satisfying conclusion only serves ones ego, I submit.
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The BBC reporter came to no conclusion, nor condemned, nor I. I was vascilating out loud. I'm allowed :)
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