Hey All,

The RoadKill Pet thread and watching Law & Order last night and the episode got me thinking. There is a quite a shortage of organ doners vs those who need some type of doner organ. There is also a large black market that hikes up the prices and commits crimes for those seeking organs who may have the money/means to purchase such items.

We also have a very large homeless/near homeless population. These are people who have no chance at getting off the street and will probably beg/panhandle for the rest of their life. The government could come up with a program that would pay qualified homeless/poor people for the donation of certain organs (ones they can live without of course). They could pay $25,000 per qualified individual per donation which would not only help alliviate the organ shortage, but also get some people off the street. With correct counsiling any homeless person given $25,000 should be able to find shelter and purchase a vehical. With shelter and a vehical (even without formal education) they should be able to find a job that could maintain their ability to provide for themselves.

I am intersted in finding out what everyone here has to say about this, it should be a good debate ;).

I think it would be easier if you could just get everyone to check the donor box on their DL.

I am not for paying the homeless for their organs. You are assuming that these people actually want to work and be productive members of society, not to mention, that you also assume that their organs are useable (drug and alcohol can ruin things).

Once cloning becomes a reality this won't even be an issue as organs will be grown for the individuals that need them (that is if we can allow science to actually do the research).

do we REALLY want people to get in the business of large-scale human organ wholeselling?

They do something like this in China already I think. People in jail have no rights or something like that and they have their organs harvested for people who need them. My dad told me that, I don't know if it's true though. It sounds pretty nuts to me, but I can see it making some sense... I guess...

Actually, Im torn on this issue..

On one hand, I DEFINITELY agree with harvesting organs of prisoners..

I SOMEWHAT agree on harvesting organs of homeless, however I see a very very high potential for this system being corrupted....


On the other hand, I believe that death isn't such a bad thing, and people who can't get organs and must die may be better off. We as a society cannot keep trying to save everyone under every circumstance.. we are SUPPOSED to die.

I saw we feel the homeless to the hungry. Two birds. One stone.

Many (maybe even most) homeless people and prisoners have hepatitis C or other conditions that make their organs not suitable for donation.

The idea of targeting any segment of the population as inventory sources for spare parts seems repugnant to me, no matter whether their organs are serviceable or not.

I would like to see anyone who receives welfare have to sign a donor release though.

If their organs were unable to be used, that would be OK, but the pool of potential donors would increase. And they would give something back to society, instead of taking. Consider it a first step towards responsibility. :)

The idea of targeting any segment of the population as inventory sources for spare parts seems repugnant to me, no matter whether their organs are serviceable or not.

I agree. And we're making a very rash assumption that $25,000 would be the cure-all for their homelessness.

I agree with MTCD1 - if you wish to be an organ donor, use your driver's license to indicate this and be sure your loved ones know your wishes.

If the republicans would end their Jihad against stem-cell research we could get to replicating our own organs, instead of thinking of ways to get them from inmates or the poor.

^ That's partly what I was getting at. Stem Cell research + Cloning Research = No more waiting lists for transplants.

I'm not entirely sure why there is a revolt against Science right now...oh wait...forgot about the R word (Religion in case you were wondering).

Don't think welfare recipients are the way to go either as just one step above homeless.
We should harvest by profession. Which brings me to my new thread.