I Need an Organ!!

I desperately need a healthy kidney.... mine is deteriorating fast!! Time is running out....

This is not a matter of joke, but of great importance to the affected patients and people around them. Yet, it's still an unsolvable issue in most societies, be it Western or Eastern.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/389305/1/.html

Now, when there's a demand, there would a supply. Or is it really? For some organs it is possible to obtain from a living person, not cadaver. These namely include kidney as one can survive with only a single kidney. Driven by the demand, a new trade on the horizon - organ brokering.

Mind you, I've also heard rumours about people being drugged and woke up with one kidney stolen. Scary? But I think it mite be true. Now, just how ethical is this?

Who do we blame to cause the demand? The patients? Or the advance of medical fields that made transplant possible? Depending on whose shoes you're wearing, I bet you would have a different answers. Most patients do wish to live a little longer, or in kidney cases, free of the hassles of dialysis. They would have already gone through alot in their course of treatment. The hope of a healthy organ is hence a very tempting solution. Honestly, I would also have done the same to try source it out before giving up to the Ripper. Fight for life!!

Then the second issue arised. There's a huge shortage of available organs. Why? Some cultures do hold the belief a deceased should be buried whole, while cause of death such as accidents may preclude the organs to be suitable. I still think more education should be provided to encourage organ donation. Else when legal route is unable to fulfil the demand, people will resort to illegal activities. Recently Singapore has taken the initiative to regulate the organ transplant in the country. But it still does not solve the shortage issue. I had a patient telling me she's going abroad to get a new kidney as she couldn't find a donor. Sad? One wonders how did it ended up being like this.

I find it of interest that the accused in the news claimed he's just doing what other doctors are practising. So, doctors are involved too? Should I see my patient suffer the failing heart or help obtain one through unnamed sources? The doc will need to put patient's life as priority by offering the best known treatment. But what if there's a party who's willing to be paid to donate? It's a win-win situation. Isn't it?

Last thing to point out, people often have the elusion that life will be much better after the transplant. Yes and no. All will need medications to prevent the 'borrowed' organ from being rejecting by own body. Sadly to say, these medications are still expensive and requite intensive monitoring at times with lots of side effects. Is the hassles worth it? In some cases, patient might require another transplant. Cycle start again?

P.S. Am not requiring a kidney now.....