One of the most contentious ethical issues surrounding transplantation today is the question of organ selling. Given the shortage of donated organs, should people be able to sell their organs either directly or indirectly? Today, organ selling is illegal in nearly all industrialized countries. One of the few that does allow it is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Until recently, that country’s experience has gone largely unreported. But Sigrid Fry-Revere, a leading medical ethicist, traveled to Iran and observed how the market in organs functions in practice. Now in her new book,
The Kidney Sellers, she describes her experience. Please join the Cato Institute for a discussion of the book and how it can inform the ethical issue of organ selling.
