SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Performance Task #4

Assignment Questions:
1. Why do you think organ trafficking is more rampant in developing countries?
Answer:
The global organized crime of trafficking is on a rise due to the forces of an increasingly
integrated world. Organ trafficking involves the transport of organs by means of coercion, abuse of
power, deception, and vulnerability (Budiani and Delmonico 925).

According to International Journal of Environmental research and Public Health the trafficking of human
beings for the purpose of organ removal (THBOR) is not a new phenomenon . With a shortage of legally
sourced organs around the world, it is estimated that the illegal trade of human organs generates about 1.5
billion dollars each year from roughly 12,000 illegal transplants.

Organ trafficking is more rampant in developing countries because of poverty. People that
are consider poor have less knowledge about the risk of having organ transplant; they are the
most vulnerable because they need money to sustain the needs of their family. Situations of
vulnerability can occur while en route or in host areas, as donors are exposed to abuse and exploitation by
smugglers and opportunists. Illegal recruiters tend to take advantage of the current situation of poor
people which is lack of money. People in slums consider 120,000 Php is a huge help for them but they
don’t know how long that money will last.
They tend to be the target people for organ transplant donor because build trusting
relationship is easier for this people. The recruiters make promises to the donor a huge amount of
money or to release from debts, and convince them that donating their organs illegally can save
them from this dilemma. Specifically in the case of kidneys, the most commonly harvested organ from
living donors, recruiters will tell victims that the kidney will grow back, having two kidneys is unnatural,
or that they have a large and a small kidney and removal of the small kidney is harmless. Socio-
economic, political conditions in their own countries and personal circumstance is what bring their people
to commit organ trafficking.

2. Look at the economic situation, the medical provision system, and the economic and
social situation of one developing country that participates in the international organ
trade, i.e., Pakistan or the Philippines. What do you think are the probable factors that
encourage the organ trade in this country?
Answer:
Socio-economic, political conditions of the country and personal circumstances such as
poverty are the reason why organ trade is not new to the said countries. In the Philippines
poverty is the biggest factor followed by the surge in number of patients with renal disease.
Desperation has driven many kidney patients into organ trafficking. Their targets are vulnerable
residents with great financial needs who can be easily coerced in to selling their organs. Most of
organ trade here in the Philippines is between a Filipino donor and Foreigners with end stage
kidney disease (Pichayada 2019).Many kidney donors are not aware of the side effect of the
operation. According to Nancy Scheper-Hugher from Organs Watch, some underage teens in
manila’s slums were eve guided by broker to fabricate names and increase their age to match the
requirement. Scheper- Hughes has spent the past decade studying glocal traffic in human organs.
Based on her research, most donors voluntatrily enter into transactions only to realise later they
have been deceived, defrauded or cheated.
To curb commercial organ transplants, the Philippine government instituted the National
Transplant Ethics Committee in 2002. Their job is to ensure transplantation at 18 accredited
facilities nationwide is performed legally, and without commercial dealing. The committee is
tasked with interviewing donor candidates and recipeints to confirm their relationship. If the
interviews are suspicious, they have the authority to reject the request for transplantation.

Source: Kidney for sale: Inside Philippines’ illegal organ trade - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

3. Based on the factors, you have identified, give an analysis of how these factors can erode
the personal convictions of a person.
Answer:
These factors can erode the personal conviction of a person because these events have
raised many ethical, moral and societal issues regarding supply, the methods of organ allocation the use
of living donors as volunteers including minors. It has also led to the practice of organ sale by
entrepreneurs for financial gains in some parts the world through exploitation of the poor, for the benefit
of the wealthy. This deals with the ethical and moral issues generated by the current advances in organ
transplantation, the problem of organ supply versus organ demand and the appropriate allocation of
available organs. People involve in this kind of situation tend forget their worth because their priority is to
survive even though there are much more consequences after their actions. Donors are much more likely
to be deceived because of money and lack of knowledge about this kind of system. People doing this kind
of trade they tend to take advantage to the social status of a person for them to deceived and gain money
from them. Recipients commit a crime by engaging in illegal trading for them to survive in their illness.
Both parties violated the moral and ethical values because for the recipient they use power and wealth for
them to be able to enter the black market and take advantage of the weaknesses of the donor. For the
donor they forget they value for them to survive and having the mind-set that through this kind of system
they can change their social status but ended up being in the same state.

Case Analysis:
1. What is Julio’s dilemma?
Answer:
The dilemma of Julio is about life and death because I can say life because if he accept
the offer he will save the life of his son and family. Death because after a couple of months or
year Julio will be much more likely be in the situation how Simon and Tatang end up because of
lack of knowledge about the consequence of entering organ trafficking.
2. How can organ donation lead to organ trafficking?
Answer:
Organ donation lead to organ trafficking when
3. What is your assessment of organ donation? Of organ trafficking?
4. Do you agree with Julio’s decision?
Answer:
No! because there are many ways to solve Julio’s problem. He can seek help through the
programs given by the government which those people who don’t have the capabilities to pay
their hospital bill can seek help from Phil health, programs for indigent people and charities.
Also social media can also help example ask for help and donations because social media like
facebook is a very big platform which everyone can access there’s no way that no one can notice
your post. Humanity exist every day, there are people out there that are willing to help you.
Doing illegal will save you for the meantime but your worth, health, and moral values can be
also at risk.

5. What alternative solutions do you have for Julio’s dilemma?

Answer:
In our country we have this medical assistance fir people who don’t have the capabilities
to pay their hospital bills like Phil health and programs for indigent people. All you need to do is
to go to the authorities and seek help. There are also charities in hospitals which can be a big
help to lessen their hospital bills. Also use the power of technology seeks help in the social
media because humanity exists and many people will help you out there. There are many more
ways for Julio’s dilemma in just it depends of the person on how he will deal with his problem,
in a good or bad way.
6. If you were in the place of Julio, would you make the same decision? Justify your
answer.
Answer:
No! of course because there are much more way to solve may problem than selling my
kidney. There many programs by the government that help people that don’t have the capabilities
to pay their hospital bills like applying Phil health , programs for indigent people, and seek help
for charities. The government have their ways to help people when it comes to medical
assistance especially in public hospitals. Also we can use social media platforms like facebook
for fund racing because out there, there are people who are willing to help you. Doing such
action that end up causing more trouble to you will not help you.
7. From a generalized standpoint, what is your stand on organ donation? On organ
trafficking?
8. If someday in the future, you are approached by somebody who will offer to buy your
kidney for a large sum of money, like 120 million USD, will you sell your kidney?
Justify your decision.
9. Has your stand changed since answering Question no. 7? Why or why not?
10. What lessons have you learned from the case?