Stealing Organ Parts

It seems that the organ harvesting scandal in China is heating up. As media sources report it and Chinese officials and doctors have admitted it happens the ethical question is presented to the world. Is it morally right to take organs from prisoners to save lives of people in need of transplants? And more, do people in jail really have free will to refuse the donating of their organs in exchange for more favorable treatment in jail? Finally, are governments allowing prisoners to be executed for phantom crimes in order to take those body parts and sell as transplant organs?
Much of the "organ donation" furor in China surrounds the use of organs - mostly kidneys, livers and corneas - from executed prisoners who may not have given their permission. Critics argue that death row prisoners are not truly free to consent and may feel compelled to become donors, violating personal, religious or cultural beliefs.
In the United States, federal prisons ban inmates from donating organs, except to a close relative. States ban the transplanting of organs from death row prisoners, and occasional moves by some states to ease the ban have failed. It seems obvious that someone in prison who is promised an early release or better treatment while in jail might sign a consent to have his or her organs removed at death (either in prison or after release). It is coercion of the worst sort, and it is not such a stretch to see how a prisoner might be killed by a corrupt prison system or government official solely so his or her organs could be sold for personal profit.
Though few involved in China's transplant trade, from doctors to government ministers, talk openly about it, the government has begun to respond to criticisms. Twice in the past two years, Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu has publicly acknowledged that China routinely removes organs from executed prisoners for transplants - but only with prior consent.
This month China's Health Ministry rules issued last year that ban the sale of organs and require donors to supply written permission. But the regulations do not mention prisoners. And that's where the abuse seems to be a regular occurrence. Outside of prison, the view is that organ donation is seen as disrespectful to parents or other ancestors. This accounts for the estimated 1.5 million people in China awaiting organ transplants. Since China executes more prisoners than any other nation the opportunity to harvest organs from prisoners is obvious.
Wealthy Chinese and foreigners are willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars. Organ brokers stand ready to arrange transplants at a moments notice due to the high demand for them. It is easy to see why the temptation to engage in prisoner organ harvesting is great. It also raises a question: Might China be executing prisoners to stock the organ market? Earlier this year, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said that "the use of organs from executed people is done very prudently." "We have relevant rules and regulations requiring the written consent of the individual donor and the ratification of relevant health departments and courts," Jiang said. "The policy of the Chinese government is very strict."
The U.N. and The Human Rights watch has numerous testimony from doctors or police officers who have witnessed organ removals from prisoners. For example, one Chinese official told a gruesome tale of one such harvesting "In order to preserve the eyes, the prisoner was shot in the heart. This is what happens. If they need the heart, the prisoner would be shot in the head instead."
Ugh! Using prisoners as organ replacement vehicles is repulsive. No doubt what happens often in China probably has happened in some other countries too. It is the ultimate indignity to all humans. Let's hope that it can be stopped before it become even more common.