Free market again

The Philippine catholic bishops have backed a government decision to prohibit kidney transplants on foreign patients as part of a bid to regulate sales of kidneys and other human organs. This should put an end to the illegal sale and traffic of human organs.

Foreigners are reportedly willing to pay $A 2,500-5,000 for each donated organ, a possible explanation for the influx of foreign patients to the country for medical tourism.

From 2006 to 2007 alone, at least 200,000 patients from countries like the United States and its territories, South Pacific nations, Canada, Korea, and Japan have come to visit the Philippines to undergo various organ transplant operations.

Organ transplantation for foreigners has been suspended since January as the Department of Health worked on drafting the recently promulgated order.

See : http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=6897.

Another proof of the scandalous consequences of free market capitalism. Health care never ever should be submitted to the laws of supply and demand, and to greed. But, unfortunately, even in our own countries, we see free market sharks taking over ...

High time we put a stop to that evolution ! As long as our economic system is not changed, and that is not to happen tomorrow or the day after, private enterprise will keep focusing on profitable growth, and that can only be to the detriment of the sick. Is that so difficult to understand ?