Self-Ownership and Bodily Organs

Self Ownership and Bodily Organs

  We the people have a right to own our body parts. Our government has made it illegal to buy and sell organs. The justification is that people will be killed by the state (or others) in order to furnish organs. This already happens and while there is a risk of this happening more, the argument is a slippery slope fallacy and two wrongs don't make a right. A person who truly owns themselves may sell their organs just like they might sell any other property. A free market in organs would provide incentives for donors and save the lives of tens of thousands of people. Microeconomics has shown us the people respond to incentives. Denying people self-ownership of their bodily organs not only denies individuals of their natural human rights but may lead to the deaths of thousands of people who need transplants each year by taking away any incentive to donate organs. Denying the right to body organ ownership is lethal and unethical in a modern civilization.

  Wealth Note: Respecting the right to body organ ownership could result in 6,500 less deaths each year creating some $10 billion in value each year.