Since 1991 one of many chilling tales, that has been told by various people in different areas of the world which is “Beware of the kidney thieves”. According to this urban legend, victims awake in immense pain in their lower back in a bathtub full of ice to discover that their kidneys have been removed. This urban legend warns travelers, such as business men or women, that “medically trained criminals are stealing kidneys”. They drug their victim at a bar or any sort of social gathering, remove their kidneys, leave them in an unfamiliar hotel in a bathtub full of ice and sell their kidney on the black market. Besides entertainment, this urban legend preys on our cultures tendency to blow things out of proportion. Although there have been similar …show more content…
It originally started in Europe and quickly traveled all around the world. In 1997 New Orleans had an outbreak, and it was believed that this urban legend was to be a real story. It is unknow why this urban legend started. In the article “The Kidney Thieves an Urban Legend” by David Emery states, “As the city geared up for its annual Mardi Gras festivities in January, a rumor began spreading via word-or-mouth, fax, and forward email to effect that a highly organized crime ring in New Orleans was carrying out plans to drug visiting tourists, surgically remove healthy kidneys from their bodies, and sell the organs on the black market.” As a result of this urban legend arising immensely, the local police department were receiving calls from many people claiming their kidneys were stolen. Authorities organized an investigation regarding these insane story, only to find no true evidence of this occurring. Even the National Kidney Foundation had repeatedly asked for alleged victims of this crime to validate their stories and come forward, but to this day no person has. This goes to show that there is no actual victim of this case. If there has it turns out to be a false story just to add onto the urban
MacKay presents her first fact to grasp the audience’s attention. She conveys that most are dying to sell their kidneys. The quote sparked a curiosity in me and I started to search for the statistics. World Organization experts have revealed, “10,000 black market operations involving purchased human organs now take place annually, or more than one an hour”. People are truly selling organs by the hour. They are not dying to sell them, but one can assume healthy organs are in a high demand. This is an excellent way to grab the audience’s attention, but she provides no backup to further prove people are truly yearning to sell their
My grandfather was a lucky one, though he had to wait 5 years until his luck was fully granted. He was diagnosed with sever kidney failure, spent 5 years on dialysis, then was blessed with the option of getting a kidney… twice. Though the first time he had to reject because of the health of his wife-after her death, he was called once more with the option of having a kidney transplant. However, my grandfather is an exception, most people do not get called once, let alone twice, for the option of receiving a kidney. As of October 25th 2013, about 100,000 people were waiting for a new kidney in the United States. (SCU) Every day, 18 people from that list die along with 10 others being added. As of October 25th, 2013, out of the 100,000 people waiting for a new kidney while only about 10,000 received one; that means 90,000 people are either rolled over to the next year, or die waiting. The marvelousness of kidney donations, compared to other organs donations, is that each person is born with two and can sustain a healthy life with just one; simple facts such as this is what has driven the black market kidney trade to flourish. (CBSNEWS) However, if this is the case then why aren’t more people donating? Is it because they are not getting something in return? Why donate for free when someone on the black market will pay 10,000 dollars? The main arguments against black market organ donations, not limited to kidneys, is that people do not know the risks- yet if someone is
Thousands of people in the United States are dying each year because of a failed kidney, and have no chance to receive one. In “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by MIT student, Joanna MacKay argues against banning the sale of organs, but instead recommends legalizing and regulating the trade of human organs in order to try and save people’s lives. MacKay reports that in America alone, approximately 350,000 people struggle each year with kidney failure. Since there is no cure, and buying kidneys is currently illegal, this leads the person to search for other options that usually result in purchasing organs on the black market. MacKay states that a black market purchase allows the recipient to buy a fresh, healthy organ from a living donor without the agonizing process of waiting on a list (157-158). MacKay believes that both the recipient and donor would benefit in the legalization and regulation process and if this comes to pass, more organs would be made available for transplant and many people would get the chance to live another day.
First of all, an organ trafficking market has created due to remarkably high demand for body parts from all over the world. Many people refuse to donate their organs even after they die has
“It is estimated that 5-10% of kidney transplants performed annually around the world are the result of human organ trafficking” (United Nation 1).
There are many problems with global crimes. What holds these crimes together isn’t because people around the world are committing the same crimes, it’s because these criminals have created global organizations that have ties in all the corners of the world. These groups work just like normal business do, exporting and importing goods to gain profit. However, unlike normal businesses their goods are illegal such as drugs and often inhumane such as trafficking humans. Even so there is another good that is being regularly sold illegally. Human organ trafficking is growing ever day. Despite all efforts from countries all over the world it is continuing to be a major problem in the world. All types of global criminal
Dying painfully in a hospital bed is not the way anyone wants to go. Unfortunately for many people, it is a reality. Thousands of people a year end up dying while waiting for an organ that could save their lives. While on the other side of the world, thousands of people die a year, but from infection when an organ is forcefully taken from them to sell on the black market. There are two sides of the organ donation list, and both can end in death. This paper will discuss the shortage of donated organs and the issues with the current donation system. It will also discuss the black market for transplant organs and possible solutions to viable organ shortage. The focus of this paper will be on transplant kidneys as they are the most desirable organ for buyers and sellers.
The introduction of organ donation to society has since been a groundbreaking medical discovery and life-saving procedure, portrayed in myths dating back to Ancient times, before the 16th century. Early performed procedures we’re primarily successful skin grafts and transplants among individuals in need. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that doctors had been documented performing experimental and risky transplants from animal organs to save human patients suffering from renal failure. Though successful, none of these patients lived more than a few days after the transplants. It wasn’t until December 23, 1954, that the first truly successful kidney transplant, from a living donor, was achieved. Dr. Joseph
What made this crime so heinous was the fact that it was witnessed by “38 respectable, law-abiding citizen. Not one person telephoned the police during the assault”(98). Later examples are given about how apathetic people are today and doing the thing only in their own self-interest. The authors mention how there is a high demand for kidneys put there is a low supply of them available. Becker stated that if people were “compensated in cash, college scholarship, a tax break, or some other form” more people would be willing to donate their organs(124). So the government could use people that are altruistic to there
In the essay " Kidneys for Sale: A Reconsideration" by Miriam Schulman, kidneys are fair in our lives. The writer talks with important things in our lives related to our organs specificly kidneys. Everyday almost 17 people die when they wait for a suitable organ. In 2011, in United States, kidney transplants were about 15,417. They had a healthy way to transplant kidneys to other people. As they got it tested wheather if they can accept it or not. After transplangt there has been seen no harm. Ninty percent of people got kidneys from a living- donor and 82 % of people from died-donor. When they get it from poor people, they remain still alive at least five years. Actually the poor people sell their kidneys.
Most people and including this writer, probably have never given a lot of thought about organ donation, aside from checking ‘yes’ box for DMV. A far amount of people believe that once a person is dead, that using what is left of the body so another can benefit from the donation or, perhaps, even save another human being’s life. However, what about selling a kidney not donating one? The essay “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” written by Joanna McKay, delves a lot deeper into the hot topic of human organ sales and the need to change the laws. She makes a compelling argument for the legality of organ sales as well as an ethical one.
In the essay “Organ Sales Will Save Lives” by Joanna MacKay, kidney failure is the main topic. In her thesis, MacKay states that, “Governments should not ban the sale of human organs; they should regulate it (92).” The thesis is supported by one main reason: it will save lives. In America 350,000 people struggle each year from this situation. MacKay also states that with the legal selling of organs, more people will be willing to give up their kidneys. There are also other ways to save lives like dialysis, but this situation would only be for a temporary time period, transplant is definitely the way to go. People in third world countries are
“Ailing, rich patients are buying kidneys from the poor and desperate in burgeoning black markets. Clandestine kidney-sellers get little medical follow-up, buyers often catch hepatitis or HIV, and both endure the consequences of slap-dash surgery” (“Psst, Wanna . . . ” 15). This dangerous alternative provides one example of why the current organ donation system needs to be revised. Another example is that some patients pay to register with internet sites that try to help find organ donors. One site, Matchingdonors.com, charges a lifetime fee of $595 (Postrel 124). Not only do patients spend unnecessary amounts of money on these sites, many who find donors get rejected by hospitals. Hospitals fear that strangers designating a recipient may receive some sort of compensation for their donation (Postrel 124). The refusal of sick patients provides just another reason why the current organ donation system needs to be altered.
While kidneys are extreme necessity, cars are a luxury. This makes the demand for kidneys
Kidney failure is a public health problem, which has dramatic effects on patients' health. In some