Want an organ transplant? Call up Death Row.

[TruePaige]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8222732.stm

China admits death row organ use
Chinese criminals are sentenced to death in Wenzhou, file image
China executes more people than any other nation

China is trying to move away from the use of executed prisoners as the major source of organs for transplants.

According to the China Daily newspaper, executed prisoners currently provide two-thirds of all transplant organs.

The government is now launching a voluntary donation scheme, which it hopes will also curb the illegal trafficking in organs.

But analysts say cultural bias against removing organs after death will make a voluntary scheme hard to implement.

Thriving black market

About 1.5 million people in China need transplants, but only about 10,000 operations are performed annually, according to the health ministry.

The scarcity of available organs has led to a thriving black market in trafficked organs, and in an effort to stop this the government passed a law in 2007 banning trafficking as well as the donation of organs to unrelated recipients.

But in practice, illegal transplants - some from living donors - are still frequently reported by the media and the Ministry of Health.

Human rights groups have often criticised China for its lack of transparency over organ donation, but critics have focused particular concern on the use of body parts from executed prisoners.

In a rare admission of the extent to which this takes place, China Daily - citing unnamed experts - said on Wednesday that more than 65% of organ donations come from death row prisoners.

China executes more people than any other country. Amnesty International said at least 1,718 people were given the death penalty in 2008.

The China Daily quoted Vice-Health Minister Huang Jiefu as saying that condemned prisoners were "definitely not a proper source for organ transplants".

The new scheme is therefore designed to reduce the reliance on death row inmates, as well as regulating the industry by combating the illegal trafficking of organs.

The system will be piloted in 10 provinces and cities, and a fund will be started to provide financial aid to donors' families.

Apparently because of the stigma against donating organs over there, China has a severely low amount of Organs.

With 2/3 coming from death row prisoners, I can only think back to other reports that China takes organs from Falun Gong and labor camp prisoners as well.

With the harsh punishment China deals out, I'm sure these organs are all quite well toned. :roll:

 

[StageLeft]

China just sucks ASS

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
China just sucks ASS

In so many ways.

 

[cyclohexane]

Might as well get these organs, since these death row guy won't be needing them.

 

[Patranus]

Good idea...too bad we don't execute people in this country anymore...but pay millions to keep them locked him. China has the right idea - force these scum bags to give back to society.

 

[theflyingpig]

What a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, the US is far to weak minded to accept such a thing. It's quite pathetic, when you think about it. Everyone knows this.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Sounds like a good plan. Who cares, they are dead?

 

[JSt0rm]

see what uhc will bring! doom!

 

[WhipperSnapper]

There's a simple solution to the organ shortage--let people enter contracts to sell their organs after their deaths in exchange for monetary compensation.

 

[lupi]

so who else is expecting to see this type of language in a revised health care bill soon

 

[n yusef]

I don't think that harvesting the organs of felons on death row is inherently wrong, but I'm weary of anything that incentivizes punishment. In the US, private prisons lobby for increased and mandatory minimum sentences, and against marijuana decriminalization. External considerations like organ donation and profits should not be valued above justice, the safety and rights of noncriminals, and the possible rehabilitation of felons.

 

[DesiPower]

wow! its just like ordering a chicken

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: Patranus
Good idea...too bad we don't execute people in this country anymore...but pay millions to keep them locked him. China has the right idea - force these scum bags to give back to society.

There are three problems with doing something like that here.
The first problem is that our "humane" forms of execution likely leave organs un-usable.
The second issue is diseases in the inmates, you don't want to transplant organs from someone who has HIV, Hep-C or some other nasty thing.
The third is the same issue China has, how to keep it from becoming a human tissue racket.

If you could get past those three issues then I see no problem with using executed inmates for organ transplants. If death is chosen for their punishment then giving life to others is a great re-payment to society.

 

[Strk]

The sad thing is, while there's not as much stigma here, you still don't have to look very hard to hear people tell you they won't donate here because of crap like "well, doctors won't try and save you if you're an organ donor."

 

[n yusef]

Originally posted by: Strk
The sad thing is, while there's not as much stigma here, you still don't have to look very hard to hear people tell you they won't donate here because of crap like "well, doctors won't try and save you if you're an organ donor."

Dan Ariely on TED Talks, 5:09

Basically, you can drastically increase the organ donation rate by changing the default on ID/driver's license form. Instead of having to check a box to donate, you must check a box to not donate.

 

[Baked]

Putting human waste to good use. I don't see what the problem is. They should do that here with all the death row inmates who have been sitting around wasting resources with all the stupid appeals.

 

[n yusef]

Originally posted by: Baked
Putting human waste to good use. I don't see what the problem is. They should do that here with all the death row inmates who have been sitting around wasting resources with all the stupid appeals.

Yeah! Fuck Due Process!!!

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Baked
Putting human waste to good use. I don't see what the problem is. They should do that here with all the death row inmates who have been sitting around wasting resources with all the stupid appeals.

Yeah screw the appeals. It's not like anybody has ever been executed incorrectly anyway. I say kill them and if it's found that they were innocent later, THEN let them out. Stop with the appeals, it's just too expensive and timely and all we're talking about is the person's life anyway, so who cares, I don't, fvck that I want their liver.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: n yusef

Originally posted by: Baked
Putting human waste to good use. I don't see what the problem is. They should do that here with all the death row inmates who have been sitting around wasting resources with all the stupid appeals.

Yeah! Fuck Due Process!!!

They had due process. After their execution, use their organs.
Seriously, if you're For ChappiquiddickCare you should be for this as it is for the betterment of our society.

 

[JKing106]

I think you should have to specify that you don't want to donate, instead of the opposite. I'd hope we're beyond the superstition that your body has to be whole for the afterlife. That people die waiting for organs that are being buried with a shell that doesn't need them is morally criminal. And the first person who sets up a business "trading" these organs should be publicly shot. I'll volunteer.

 

[Hacp]

This will never happen in the US. In china, they probably cut their heads off, which is the least painful way of killing people. No harmful poisons or toxins are injected. In the US, the organs are all probably damaged from the poisoning. Its way more expensive than a guillotine.

 

[CitizenKain]

If you support the death penalty, you are human garbage and should kill yourself. Everyone knows this.

 

[GoPackGo]

Originally posted by: CitizenKain
If you support the death penalty, you are human garbage and should kill yourself. Everyone knows this.

unless its babies, right?

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

There's a simple solution to the organ shortage--let people enter contracts to sell their organs after their deaths in exchange for monetary compensation.

This would do a lot more than getting executed prisons organs. Allow some type of monetary exchange so there is some compensation. Currently the law prevents this. I understand that there would have to be some regulations to prevent abuse. I mean even say a $10k tax credit to the survivors family would help getting more organs out there.

 

[RoloMather]

Dang it.