The
global trade in human organs has become prevalent in recent years because of
the massive demand for organs. It has also come to show the manner through
which there are existing inequalities between the developed and developing
countries. One of the most significant factors concerning the organ trade is
that it has become highly exploitative to such an extent that it has encouraged
the rise of a situation where it is extremely difficult for individuals in
developing countries not to say no whenever they are offered money for their
organs. The commoditization of human organs has grown to such an extent that
individuals from the developed countries tend to travel to developing countries
such as India in order to acquire new organs. India has become the top
destination for transplant tourism, which has been fueled by wealthy
individuals and has encouraged poor people to give up their organs in exchange
for a small financial compensation. This paper seeks to make an analysis of the
causes and effects of transplant tourism in relation to the organ trade. It
shows that with the commercialization of organ donation, transplant tourism has
taken root and had led to the exploitation of poor people in developing
countries.
The
process of organ transplantation takes place through the removal of a healthy
organ from an individual and transferring it to another person. This transfer
is made to ensure that there is the replacement of deteriorating or failed
organs. Organ transplants have, in recent years, come to revolutionize
healthcare to such an extent that there has been an increase in hope for those
individuals that are suffering from organ failure or similar conditions because
they can acquire organs to replace their own. The process of organ
transplantation is practiced all over the world with the result that more
individuals are being saved than ever before. However, it is noteworthy that
with the increase in the number of individuals demanding organ transplantation,
there has been the rise of the organ trade and trafficking (Budiani‐Saberi
& Delmonico, 2008). The organ trade has
become a significant industry, especially in developing countries where
individuals from poor backgrounds are often willing to sell one of their organs
as a means of either making ends meet or to escape their poverty. The latter
situation has in turn led to transplant tourism as individuals from the
developed countries travel to developing countries in a bid to pay for organs
and undergo organ transplantation that can save their lives.
Transplant
tourism is a significant factor within the human organ trade. The development
of new drugs and healthcare methods has resulted in the increase in the number
of individuals that can receive organ transplants. The increasing demand for
organs across the world has come about because of a diversity of reasons
including the rise in the number of cases of heart disease and diabetes among
others (Hopkins, Labonté, Runnels, & Packer,
2010). Moreover, because of the technological
advancements that have been made in the world in recent decades, it has become
possible for the human lifespan to be extended. Also, because of the rise of
the liberal world order, it has become possible for cultural understanding to
come about. This is to such an extent that those groups of people that were
previously marginalized because of their ethnicity or race are now accepted. Because
of this acceptance, their organs are also less likely to be rejected by
receivers and the new drugs that are available ensure that these organs are
accepted by the receiving bodies. The shortage of organs in the developed world
that has come about because of the latter has created an environment within
which the organ trade has grown significantly in the Global South.
Individuals
from the developed world as well as the rich are traveling to developing
countries because the latter have multiple organs available for commercial
sale. These organs are sold in considerable quantities in countries such as
India, where organs tend to be readily available in markets (Shimazono, 2007). The latter situation has created an
environment where anyone can become an organ tourist as long as they have the
ability to do so. This means that as long as they have the capital, they can
travel to developing countries and purchase the organs that they need for their
own survival. Under such circumstances, it is the rich who, regardless of their
country of origin, are most often able to acquire the organs that they need. A
consequence is that they are often willing to pay considerable amounts of money
to acquire organs, and this has resulted in the rapid growth in the organ trade
and transplantation tourism as more individuals seek to sell their organs for
the sake of the financial incentives that they are likely to receive from those
willing to purchase them.
The
consumer demand from the rich as well as individuals from the developed
countries often leads to the exploitation of the poor in the Global South. The
fact that many of the poor tend to have little other choice in addition to
being desperate leads them to make the decision to sacrifice their organs (Budiani & Karim, 2008). These individuals end up giving up their
organs for a small fee despite the fact that their richer counterparts, who
have the ability to pay more, become the ultimate beneficiaries. It can
therefore be said that the flow of organs has come to follow the route of
modern capitalism because they have essentially become a commodity. The commodification
of human organs has led to a scenario where it has become difficult for it to
be regulated because while most of the individuals that provide the organs tend
to be from poor, brown countries, the recipients are often rich, white people.
Also, it is individuals from North America, Europe, and Japan that travel to
countries in Southeast and South Asia to make organ purchases. The latter shows
the disparities that have come about as a result of the organ trade and the
resulting tourism.
Despite
the vast majority of transplant tourists coming from the developed world, it is
pertinent to note that a significant number also come from the Middle East and
other Asian countries (Shimazono, 2007). Many of the latter individuals tend to
be quite wealthy or have the means of purchasing the organs that they need. The
transplantations tend to take place in countries such as India and China, which
have essentially become hubs for the organ trade and the accompanying organ
tourism. These countries have few restrictions when it comes to organ
transplants meaning that a considerable number of people, mostly the poor, find
the organ trade a means of helping them escape poverty or in some cases, they
use the money to ensure a better future for their children through education.
Therefore, the incentive to sell their organs, especially their kidneys or
livers, is often based on the poverty they are experiencing and the belief that
this transaction is the easy way out of their condition. A consequence of the
latter is that the transplant tourism tends to take place in countries where
there are significant populations of poor people, as is the case with India,
which is the world’s top destination.
The
circumstances surrounding organ transplants that are found in developing
countries is not the same as that in developed countries. This is because in
the developed countries, organ donations tend to be done willingly and without any
incentive other than the wish to save another life (Ambagtsheer, Zaitch, & Weimar, 2013). Furthermore, it is noteworthy that in
such societies, it is common for relatives to be the donors. It is also
essential to note that organ donor programs tend to be run by the healthcare
authorities, meaning that the donors are provided with information concerning
the harvesting process and the treatment procedure as well as the risks
involved at a higher standard than is the case in places such as India and
China, where the money is the main incentive. Thus, individuals have the option
of either giving their consent or opting out. In developed countries, the
ethical and medical regulation in place are followed strictly to such an extent
that the people that are eligible for organ transplants are placed on a waiting
list until such a time as organs matching their own is available. However, the
lack of readily available organs in developed countries has resulted in
individuals looking towards the Global South, where there are fewer regulations
and greater availability because of the organ trade encouraged by the
considerable poverty found within it.
In
the Global South, the situation is quite different because of the high costs of
healthcare. Under such circumstances, organ transplantations tend to be the
preserve of the rich because most of these are done privately. In South Asia,
for example, organs tend to be acquired from the poor, who are willing to give
up one of their organs for an opportunity to improve their living conditions (Moniruzzaman, 2012). Because of the organ trade and
transplantation tourism, it is common for poor people in this region to die
without receiving organ transplants. They are often at a higher risk of organ
failure due to their living conditions and for those in need of kidney
transplants; there are few opportunities to receive dialysis because they
cannot afford it. Instead, the poor have become the main source of organs for
the affluent few in the global society.
In
conclusion, it is essential to consider that the organ trade has led to the
development of transplant tourism and the resulting exploitation of the poor in
developing countries. The poor have become the source of body parts for their
affluent counterparts from across the world and it is common for individuals
from wealthy countries to travel to developing ones such as India and China to
receive organ transplants. It is pertinent to note that because of the
considerable demand for organs in the developed world, the organ trade has been
exacerbated to such an extent that it is mainly the poor in developing
countries that are being exploited for their organs for little compensation
relative to their sacrifice.
