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Organ Transplantation: A Medical Wonder or Designer of a New Branch of Trafficking?
Introduction
The transplantation of organs is perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments in terms of
modern medicine and remains one of the most effective means of saving the lives of end-stage
organ failure patients from the first kidney transplant between identical twins in 1954. From
being an experimental procedure, transplantation has become a viable therapeutic tool, with the
transplantation of kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, and other organs saving millions of lives all over
the world (Starzl, 2018). However, the increased transplant success rates have inadvertently led
to a worldwide lack of transplantable organs that has not only produced illicit markets but has
also resulted in the operation of organ trafficking networks spanning the globe (Budiani-Saberi &
Delmonico, 2008). In this way, paradoxically, this medical miracle acts as a catalyst for a
perverted sort of human exploitation, which finds its way into situations where regulations are
weak or incomplete. This paper seeks to explore this dual nature in terms of the legitimate
medical advancement of transplantation technology as a beneficial medical operation and the
legerdemain of organ commerce and trafficking as a morally reprehensible practice.
Main Ideas
The Evolution and Success of Transplantation Medicine
The development of surgical techniques, organ preservation, and immunosuppressive
therapies has led to a dramatic progression from experimental procedures to standard care, and
organ transplantation is one of medicine's greatest triumphs over diseases formerly known to be
untreatable. Starzl (2018) informed that kidney transplant recipient survival at one year is now in
the 95% range or higher for many centers and liver transplant recipients experience 90% or
, 2
better survival rates at one year turning terminal diagnoses into chronic manageable conditions
for hundreds of thousands of patients around the world.
Multiple disciplines working in concert allowed these scientific advances leading to this
success: state-of-the-art tissue typing, cross-matching techniques, and improved knowledge of
the human immune system reduced rejection episodes. At the same time, preservation solutions
have improved in a way that allows the organs to stay viable longer outside the body and thus be
transported longer distances and be matched between donors and recipients over wider
geographic areas (Cooper & Dou, 2019). Technological innovation in organ transplantation has
extended beyond mechanical advancements; for instance, machine perfusion systems have been
shown to assess, treat, and improve organ quality prior to implantation (Nasralla et al., 2018),
and research in this area is potentially fruitful for modern transplantation. Taken as a whole,
these technological advances are a symbol of the pinnacle of collaborative and innovative
medicine in transplantation medicine, and one that continues to further what is achievable.
The Global Organ Shortage Crisis
Despite these remarkable advances, transplantation can no longer be viewed as simply
the transplantation of an organ but is still limited by a very important factor: the severe lack of
available organs. WHO (2022) reports that only around 10% of the global need for
transplantation of an organ is met. According to what economists term a tragedy of the commons,
worldwide organ allocation systems also appear to suffer from waiting lists of over 100,000
patients in the United States alone and 17 deaths per day of patients waiting for a transplant. One
way to deal with this shortage has been through different approaches, for example, presumed
consent (opt-out) systems in Spain, which have led to a drastic increase in donor rates, in
addition to awareness campaigns in countries that have facilitated organ donation.
Organ Transplantation: A Medical Wonder or Designer of a New Branch of Trafficking?
Introduction
The transplantation of organs is perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments in terms of
modern medicine and remains one of the most effective means of saving the lives of end-stage
organ failure patients from the first kidney transplant between identical twins in 1954. From
being an experimental procedure, transplantation has become a viable therapeutic tool, with the
transplantation of kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, and other organs saving millions of lives all over
the world (Starzl, 2018). However, the increased transplant success rates have inadvertently led
to a worldwide lack of transplantable organs that has not only produced illicit markets but has
also resulted in the operation of organ trafficking networks spanning the globe (Budiani-Saberi &
Delmonico, 2008). In this way, paradoxically, this medical miracle acts as a catalyst for a
perverted sort of human exploitation, which finds its way into situations where regulations are
weak or incomplete. This paper seeks to explore this dual nature in terms of the legitimate
medical advancement of transplantation technology as a beneficial medical operation and the
legerdemain of organ commerce and trafficking as a morally reprehensible practice.
Main Ideas
The Evolution and Success of Transplantation Medicine
The development of surgical techniques, organ preservation, and immunosuppressive
therapies has led to a dramatic progression from experimental procedures to standard care, and
organ transplantation is one of medicine's greatest triumphs over diseases formerly known to be
untreatable. Starzl (2018) informed that kidney transplant recipient survival at one year is now in
the 95% range or higher for many centers and liver transplant recipients experience 90% or
, 2
better survival rates at one year turning terminal diagnoses into chronic manageable conditions
for hundreds of thousands of patients around the world.
Multiple disciplines working in concert allowed these scientific advances leading to this
success: state-of-the-art tissue typing, cross-matching techniques, and improved knowledge of
the human immune system reduced rejection episodes. At the same time, preservation solutions
have improved in a way that allows the organs to stay viable longer outside the body and thus be
transported longer distances and be matched between donors and recipients over wider
geographic areas (Cooper & Dou, 2019). Technological innovation in organ transplantation has
extended beyond mechanical advancements; for instance, machine perfusion systems have been
shown to assess, treat, and improve organ quality prior to implantation (Nasralla et al., 2018),
and research in this area is potentially fruitful for modern transplantation. Taken as a whole,
these technological advances are a symbol of the pinnacle of collaborative and innovative
medicine in transplantation medicine, and one that continues to further what is achievable.
The Global Organ Shortage Crisis
Despite these remarkable advances, transplantation can no longer be viewed as simply
the transplantation of an organ but is still limited by a very important factor: the severe lack of
available organs. WHO (2022) reports that only around 10% of the global need for
transplantation of an organ is met. According to what economists term a tragedy of the commons,
worldwide organ allocation systems also appear to suffer from waiting lists of over 100,000
patients in the United States alone and 17 deaths per day of patients waiting for a transplant. One
way to deal with this shortage has been through different approaches, for example, presumed
consent (opt-out) systems in Spain, which have led to a drastic increase in donor rates, in
addition to awareness campaigns in countries that have facilitated organ donation.
