אורנים דוט קום – מגזין האינטרנט של מכללת אורנים

Dear editor,

I am writing to you in response to the article you published on the matter of organs trade. This article presented important information that made me think and led me, eventually, to change my mind regarding the argument whether to legalize the trade or not. Due to the severe shortage of kidneys and other organ donations, as argued in this article, I entirely agree that we to establish a well regulated legal market for kidneys. The claims against legalizing organ trade are refuted in this article. For instance, the fear of exploiting the poor is already taking place today with the existence of international black market. This market causes wealthy white people to travel to regions with shorter kidney waiting list and to desperate people sell their organs without protection, fair compensation and proper medical care. This can all be avoided with a legal and supervised market.

A lot is being done in Israel to encourage people to donate the organs of their deceased relatives. However, not enough is being done to encourage the donation of kidneys (or other organs) while still alive. Governments should act to increase organ donation by emphasizing the fact that after kidney donation the one kidney left in the donor's body grows and takes up the slack of the one that has been removed. This information is crucial and may encourage people to perform an altruistic act in order to help others.

Yours,

Osnat Livne-Argaman