Should There Be A Market for Kidneys?

Many of us would read the title and feel- Why Not? I had the same thought.

We all have friends and know very well that friendship is something which cannot be traded. If traded, the good itself (friendship) would lose its value. But that is not the case with kidneys, right? You trade kidneys, transplant them and they would work well. So, what is the issue in making a market for kidneys if both sellers and buyers are willing to trade. Won't it be helpful to that poor person who can live a good life by selling something she does not even need?

What needs to be focused here is whether this market is fair enough?

The adverse conditions of the poor might make them vulnerable to commercial traders who would spare them no bargaining power. Severe inequality can undermine voluntary nature of exchange.

Just the fact that buyers and sellers are ready to deal is not enough to make a market. Should university seats be sold? Should there be a market for babies? Or should votes be sold?

In some cases, the negative externalities might outweigh the benefits to buyers and sellers.

Selling kidneys would also lead to objectification of human bodies and we might start looking at humans as a collection of parts which could be sold for money.

Though debates still exist, my opinion stands against the existence of a kidney market.

What do you think?

-Sampada Bhiwania

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