Finally, we get the answer to the question we’ve all been dying to know: how much are my body parts worth? And we get the answer is this awesome infographic courtesy of medicaltranscription.net.

Before we take a look at this masterpiece of body pieces, though, it’s worth noting the thoughts and issues this graphic brings up:

First, in case you didn’t know, it is illegal to sell or buy a body part. This law is designed to 1. prevent people in duress from being tempted to sell, 2. prevent people from profiting by preying on these folks, and 3. keep the wealthy from having better access to life-saving organs. Few people disagree with these well-intentioned arguments.

But on the other side of the debate, while enforcing a law designed to improve society, the legal system is killing people–lots of them as you’ll see below as people die in wait for organs that won’t come. An organ market would presumable solve this.

This is one of the toughest issues I know to take a side on, and this infographic is an interesting–if not just entertaining–examination of it:

Let me finish by offering this kicker: science is working to grow human organs. If technology allows, we can stop debating about organ markets because there will be no need for anyone to sell their organs. It’s one example of how technology could solve the problems which we rack our brains over deciding where to draw the legal line.

No more problem = no line.  🙂

But though this technology takes the thought-provocation up a notch, we’re still a ways away from growing a kidney or liver. So in the meantime, ponder the need for more organs in our world, and if so moved, donate your body after death or write your legislature to legalize markets, or not. The idea of being able to buy/sell a heart is kind of weird.

 

to new plateaus,

-Brandon