Salon - - Unethical or unlawful?

Ed_L · #1 05-08-2002, 02:40 AM

A recent showing of "60 minutes" (I think) really got me worked up. IMHO, this is the absolute worst possible case of ethical standards. I can't stop thinking about it. Hopefully, you will read this, then contact your congressman about getting leglislation to combat the greed of some people. The following might not be 100% accurate, but the main point *IS*. Some people might view this as adult in nature, and if that bothers you, you should not read further.

A woman whose daughter was severly burned was interviewed. The doctors told her that her daughter could not make it unless they could get a sizeable amount of human skin to replace hers. The daughter died. It was found that another person had died in the same hospital before the daughter did. This person was an organ donor (skin is the largest organ). The skin, however, was not used to save her life, but it was sold to a "middle man", who would then sell at least part of it to be used for penile enlargement or other cosmetic purpose! It was estimated that the parts of a human body could be sold for over $200,000.00! This has to be the lowest possible form of humanity! People simply do not donate their organs so someone else can have cosmetic surgery, or line someone's pockets. Apparently there is no law against this type of thing, but there surely needs to be one. This is not to say that this occurs at every hospital, or even that it is typical. Organ donors *DO* save lives. We found out yesterday that one of our daughters might need a kidney transplant. If none of us are a match for her, and she needs one, I hope she will be able to get one despite the greed of other people. So if you think I'm right about this, please contact your congressman about legislation to prevent this embarassment of humanity.

Ed

Ed_L · #2 05-08-2002, 04:02 AM

There's one thing that I forgot to mention. The people who sell the skin (or other organs) justify it be saying that they do not sell body parts. The cost is for "handling" the organs. If we can get a law passed about this, this type of loophole needs to be plugged before the law goes into effect. No matter what they call it, they're getting rich from selling organs that were donated to save lives.

Ed

thomasgeorge · #3 05-08-2002, 06:49 AM

Good example of the " Do anything to make a buck" attitude....sometimes money ISN'T the most importiant thing...Tom

G. Couch · #4 05-08-2002, 09:43 AM

Ed, this brings up some interesting questions. I agree that this sounds like a very unethical act and goes against everything our health care system SHOULD be, but I think it goes much deeper than just greed. You mentioned some of the things these organs are used for, and that is what really disturbs me beyond anything else.

Our culture seems to be obsessed with staying young and attractive. People will go to almost any length to ward off old age... they will take pills, get liposuction, and apparently use valuable, life saving organs... All in the name of becoming more "attractive".

It sounds like this incident reported by "60 Minutes" is another symptom of a much greater sickness. Ever seen the movie Brazil? Life is starting to imitate Art...

ps - I hope your daughter does not need that transplant, but if she does, I still have a lot of faith in our system and I'm sure she will be fine.

john_opitz · #5 05-08-2002, 08:14 PM

I can relate to that Mr. L

I had a father in law that was on his death bed (coma) in the hospital(not to long ago) and they ask Sue and her mother if she would give consent to use his organs. I was not there. This was in Tenn. She had told me that "they" were not the doctors that were asking. They were "some" others that were with the hospital though. I guess? What I call "peddlers"(putting it nicely). When Sue said: "No"(because what you have just talked about). They asked if he put himself down as an organ donor on his license. Which he didn't. And "they" checked on this. AND SHE WAS NOT INTO MAKING ANY DEALS.
But I believe in organ donating, if that's want you want to do. But I won't do it. For the reason like on 60 minutes. I don't want my body....flesh on some man's body.