How much does a human kidney cost? And can it be sold? After all, each person has two kidneys, so one can be removed without any special consequences. Or not?
Kidney transplant
A few decades ago, a person who lost kidneys or experiences acute renal failure was doomed to slow dying. Today, this vital organ can be transplanted to the patient, and he will lead a practically full life. Kidney transplantation is a complex operation that can only be performed by experienced surgeons. But this is not the main problem. The main question is where to get the kidney. And this despite the fact that in Russia there are a lot of people who dream of selling it.
Is it possible to legally sell human organs in Russia
How much does a donor kidney cost in Russia? According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, donation is carried out exclusively at no cost, and the sale of organs is a criminal offense.
You can become a donor if you have the following conditions:
- if the organ of the donor is fully compatible with the body of a person in need of transplantation;
- if the donor is related to the recipient through kinship relations;
- if the donor agreed to the posthumous use of his organs.
However, in any case, a person cannot ask for a monetary reward for a kidney, and all the more so the relatives of the deceased, who allowed to use their organs after death, cannot apply for it.
Donation in Russia is based solely on a gratuitous basis for several reasons. First, most people find this unethical. Secondly, almost all known religions oppose organ transplantation in principle, all the more sharply negatively relate to trade in body parts. For most faiths, the question “how much does a person’s kidney cost” is immoral, since a living being is an integral and indivisible creation of God, which cannot be divided into separate pieces, and it is completely unacceptable to charge a price for these parts.
The cost of operations in Russia and abroad
How much does a kidney transplant cost? Theoretically, every citizen of the Russian Federation can count on a free transplant. The kidney itself is provided free of charge, and all medical expenses that reach up to 1 million rubles are borne by the state.
However, in practice, the patient can wait an infinitely long vital organ, and so it does not wait.
On the other hand, even with a donor, the patient cannot always count on a favorable outcome. The success of an operative measure largely depends on the qualification of the surgeon and his experience. And here inexorable statistics come into effect: in Russia, about 1000 kidney transplants are performed per year. In the USA, this figure ranges from 17,000, in Israel and Germany - 15,000. That is why many wealthy citizens of our country prefer to operate abroad. True, in most of these countries there is a law: a foreigner must bring with him a donor - a relative who agrees to donate his organ. This is done so as not to infringe on their own citizens.
Queue for kidney transplantation in Russia
Is there a chance to wait for a free operation in Russia? As such, the queue does not exist in the sense that it represents an ordinary person. There is a waiting list - the patient after getting into this sheet should be ready every minute, because at any time a call for surgery may follow. The waiting period can be several years or several days, depending on how soon the hospital will be suitable for all parameters of the body.
Sale of kidneys in foreign countries
As mentioned above, the sale of organs in Russia is prohibited. In the USA, you can get 5 years of real prison term for selling them. True, they do not have the right to take a transplanted kidney.
However, in some countries selling a kidney is one of the earning options for the poor, and the government does not object to this business. This mainly applies to third world countries, for example, India is one of the leaders in this direction. And the Chinese government declared the bodies of its citizens state property, after which it has the opportunity to dispose of them at its discretion.
Human kidney: black market price
In Russia, you cannot legally sell a kidney. But it is entirely possible to do so illegally. Donation in our country is in its infancy, and there are not enough organs for all patients who need transplantation. Therefore, there will always be people who are ready to lay out a large amount of money for the right part of the body. And there are always citizens in a desperate financial situation who are willing to sell one kidney.
How much is a kidney in Russia? This is not a simple question, since the price will depend on several factors: the urgency of the operation, blood type (rare or not), the number of mediators, the financial capabilities of the patient, the health and lifestyle of the donor, etc. On average, a kidney can cost from 10 up to 100 thousand dollars for the buyer. The donor receives several times less - 2-20 thousand dollars.
According to statistics, the price also depends on the specific area. For example, in a small provincial town, you can buy this body for only 30-40 thousand rubles.
And to the question “how much is a kidney in Moscow”, a potential donor will hear the same amount, but not in rubles, but in dollars. In some large cities of Russia, it is possible to contact a group of people providing a trip abroad directly to the clinic to the recipient.
Organ Hunt: Myth or Reality
One of the most terrible urban legends of American folklore: a person wakes up in a bathtub full of ice in an abandoned house, and on his side there is a huge scar. And the note completes the picture: “Call 911.” Is the cost of a person’s kidney so great that it can push such a crime? After all, it is one thing to conduct an illegal operation with the consent of the donor, and quite another thing is the forced removal of organs.
It is not known how plausible this urban legend is. But what exactly is known is that different parts of the human body do not always enter the black market with the consent of the donor. Many criminal organizations sell organs, with third-country residents acting as donors.
And in all states, victims of criminals may be dysfunctional or unprotected citizens - people with no fixed abode, orphans, alcoholics, unemployed citizens. And this could also seem like a fiction, if not for one fact: only in Russia about 150 thousand children have disappeared over the past 5 years. And of those that are considered to be adopted by foreign citizens, Interpol can not find traces of more than half.
And in this case, the question "how much does a person’s kidney" can safely be answered that it costs one human life. Even with a voluntary sale, there is no guarantee that after the operation the donor will be given a check for a large amount of money. Criminals can be greedy or, for the sake of profit, may remove other organs whose absence leads to death. For example, there is always a demand for a healthy liver, heart, or lungs. Moreover, each of these organs is much more expensive than a kidney.
Is it possible to get rich in this way
One person can sell only one kidney, unless he is going to act as an intermediary. And this activity, recall, is a criminal offense in our country.
For the sale, he will receive at best 50 thousand dollars, and in most cases - no more than 3-4 thousand dollars. Plus, the donor risks his health: you can trite die during the operation, and life with one kidney can hardly be called full. And life expectancy is reduced to 15-20 years. Of course, for the sake of a loved one, you can take a chance, and you can give part of your life, but you should not do it for the sake of 50 thousand, especially for the sake of 3 thousand dollars.
Is it worth changing the laws of the Russian Federation in the field of donation
Based on the foregoing, many will decide that the "donor" legislation of the Russian Federation needs to be substantially revised. For example, some citizens are actively advocating for the official sale of organs in Russia. And in this case, each person will be able to send an official request to a certain common base and find out how much a person’s kidney, part of the liver or a piece of healthy skin costs.
However, most citizens, including doctors, are against organ sales. And competent specialists believe that in general the “donor” legislation of the Russian Federation is quite complete and takes into account all the problematic issues. It’s just that it hasn’t yet firmly entered our lives, and it will take tens of years for people to understand that by donating their organs posthumously, they will probably save several lives.