I checked Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz’s facebook page for I don’t know what reason. I almost never do that. I don’t know why I did just now. And THIS is what I find! Shmuly Yanklowitz now supports a market for human organs! My God. I’m so happy my eyes are welling up. As you’ll see in this paragraph, he also hints he would support the legalization of sex work, which would ALSO save many many lives. Who knows how many. The article is titled “We Badly Need More Donated Kidneys. Let’s Start Paying For Them”. It fills me with hope.
In this worst of all possible worlds, only black-market incentives are offered. Since underground organ sales are happening en masse, we must look deep inside and ask vital questions: how can we re-channel this exploitative industry to one that ensures the health of the donor? How can these people be adequately protected in the procedure in such a way that non-coercive consent is ensured? How can exorbitant profit opportunities for organ brokers be eliminated? How do we ensure a level playing field to ensure fair distribution of donated organs? Those who support the prohibition of offering incentives think it will prevent the enormous ills of this abusive black market. But like the prohibition of sex work, it has failed. Miserably.
