Voltaire’s Candide - 1924 Words

The Human Tissue Act 65 of 1983 regulates all aspects regarding organ transplants. This Act was last amended in 1989. Since then medical science has developed so big in size and to such an extent that organ transplants today are almost routine operations in many hospitals. Unfortunately the current methods of procuring human organs are not supplying the demand. A new approach, the commercialization of human organs for transplantation is a possibility with the potential to supply one hundred per cent of the demand for organs. There are however many arguments against the commercialization of human organs. Ethical aspects concerning commercialization of human organs also need to be investigated, in order to reach a conclusion†¦show more content†¦Such cases may be motivated by the desire to discharge a religious duty, to correct a wrong done in the past, to gain mental or moral satisfaction, or to be seen as a good Samaritan. Once the practice of organ donation by the genetically related and also by strangers, based on altruism, has been accepted as ethically sound the following components of organ removal stand morally vindicated. Here are 2 of which they are talking about: (a) A person’s expectation to enjoy life with the help of organs belonging to others is valid, and(b) the breach of a donor’s bodily integrity and the consequent harms are permissible. Judged on these values a person’s act of severing his/her organ in order to liberate a fellow being from a terminal illness or to save his/her life cannot be dubbed as immoral simply because the act is accompanied by a reasonable material consideration. â€Å"When a person sells an organ he or she acts both selfishly, in advantaging him or herself, and altruistically, in contributing to a public good.† The presence of considerations is not a sufficient reason to transform a simple act into a sin. Otherwise, selling water to t he thirsty would be an equally big sin in fact rather a bigger one (Marino 2002). Policies on organ transplantation reflect a unique social paternalism. Objections against the sale of organs such as the dilution of altruism in society, the risk that