Rebecca Skloot's presentation.

In response to my first post concerning people being paid for medical research, there were a few factors i didn't take into account when coming to my conclusion. Previously I came to the conclusion that people who demand payment for medical findings using their own body is ridiculous and research for the betterment of mankind should not be treated like that. After hearing Rebecca Skloot's presentation i realized that I forgot to factor Henrietta's poverty into the situation, which some would consider one of the main focuses of the book. The Lack's family was very poor when Henrietta was alive and never got much better after her death. Even though her cells were being sold for millions. When i heard this i can't say my original conclusion changed completely. I still don't believe that people should demand money for work that was not their's but I am sympathetic to those who could really use the money.

Response to Ben

The following is a response to Ben's blog post at http://benslsc100blog.blogspot.com/
After writing my own response to the same Organ Sales question Ben came up with some great ideas that i had never thought of to support my opinion. The picture he posted showed how people who illegally sell there organs do not receive the proper care and the organs can even be damaged but if the entire process were legalized/regulated then nothing like that could occur.

Organs For Sale?

Why not? People sell everything from hair to sex these days and in our current economic state why shouldn't people be able to sell there organs? The way I see it, your organs are yours, one of the only things that you have  carried with you for your whole life. They need to be taken care of for so long so why not take compensation for giving them up. Especially if your still alive to make the conscience decision to give them up. I think the organ donor program in place today does fine and should not be messed with, but the fact is that it just doesn't produce enough organs to feed our population. People die waiting on organ lists and if people were being payed to give them up then maybe the problem wouldn't be as bad. The only place i see a problem with selling organs is that people that are richer would only be able to afford those organs, leaving those without money out of luck. But then again healthcare has all sorts of flaws like that and the wealthy have been receiving better healthcare than the poor since the beginning of it all. All in all I see no issues with putting your organs up for sale. Unless your dead in which case they should be free.

Take this article for example: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10786211

This guy can see the benefits of selling organs, increasing a supply of organs can only help the current shortage so why not allow people to sell there organs. those capable of purchasing them will no longer clog up the waiting lists. Plus it could provide a lot of money to someone who probably really needs it. I'm sure not giving away any of my organs. Only for family and friends.