Question

In the United States, donations of tissue and organs are regulated by the federal government, and the National Organ Transplant Act makes it illegal to buy or sell tissues or organs. In 2009, a group of cancer patients filed a lawsuit to allow the purchase of bone marrow to cure their diseases. The court legalized the purchase of bone marrow and set the price at three thousand dollars. Donors can now be compensated for bone marrow donations. Which of the following is a potential ethical concern that may result from this ruling?
a. fewer people will donate bone marrow and more patients will die while waiting for transplants.

b.this practice will increase the number of patients waiting for transplants

c. this will increase how often bone marrow is sold on the black market

d. patients who cannot afford to purchase bone marrow will have to wait for voluntary donors.

Answer 1

A potential ethical concern that may result from the ruling stated above is:

d. patients who cannot afford to purchase bone marrow will have to wait for voluntary donors.

By the time supply is not enough to address the high demand; some donors will find all means to provide the best deal they think will benefit them the most. On the other hand, the patients will be forced to buy the needed bone marrow as emergency needs arise. Therefore, rich patients can secure a donor immediately while poor patients will still have to wait for a voluntary donor since priority is set to those to have the money not to those who are in need of it so badly.