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In one of the most bizarre stories of recent weeks, former FC Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, was forced to deny that he had illegally purchased a human liver at the time. Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal in 2012 after a report in Spanish. The newspaper El Confidencial claimed that the police had intercepted Rosell's phone calls that would have admitted the purchase. A statement by FC Barcelona categorically denied the allegations and pointed out that a Catalan court had suspended an investigation into the case in 2017. Other denials have been issued by Abidal and the hospital in which he was operated, while the Spanish National Transplant Organization To confirm that the operation was carried out in accordance with the law,
In this case, it seems clear that the transplant was legal, but the incident highlights the transplantation of commercial organs and the global black market of human organs. But what is this trade and how often does it happen?
What is the commercialism of transplantation?
The commercialism of transplantation consists of buying, selling or otherwise merchandising human organs. It is recognized as a serious crime in the vast majority of countries, with the notable exception of Iran.
In practice, the term covers a wide range of behaviors. The most troubling cases involve people being trafficked so that their organs can be removed. Victims may be held against their will, forced to undergo medical examinations and ultimately operated without their consent. Fortunately, there have not yet been any proven cases in the UK, but we know this is happening elsewhere.
More common is what is called "transplant tourism", where patients travel abroad for transplants. . Although illegal payments are not always involved – some might have a foreign parent ready to donate – these trips abroad should set off an alarm.
The global reach of social media makes online sales easier and easier. Two days after joining a Facebook group on organ donation, for example, a man in India sent me a message to offer to sell his kidney to him
. the coercion and exploitation of those living in poverty. The Istanbul Declaration, endorsed by transplant organizations around the world, states clearly that transplantation trafficking and tourism "violates the principles of fairness, justice and respect for human dignity and should be prohibited. " There is an academic debate going on around the ethics of commercialism, but its illegality is clearly established in the laws of most countries.
Frequency Unknown
Since offenders rarely report their own crimes, it is difficult to establish an accurate picture, but it has been estimated that 5 to 10% of transplants Organs around the world involve payments. British figures suggest that nearly 400 patients have received transplants abroad in the last 16 years, although some of them have been perfectly legal.
It is also possible that in the UK, some donations involve illicit rewards. . There are safeguards in place to counter this, and the 2004 Human Tissue Act makes this unequivocal. But again, it's hard to prove anything: if a grateful recipient buys a new car from his donor a few months after a transplant, who can trace the line between deferred payment and honest generosity?
Stolen organs can fetch a nice penny on the black market. shutterstock
Inevitably, human organs are sometimes limited in number, so patients on long waiting lists may be tempted to pay for an organ abroad. But when they return to the UK requiring follow-up care, their doctors will usually have their suspicions. Most health professionals feel bound by the confidentiality of the patient and do not report their suspicions, but it eliminates one of the few potential methods of detecting and tracking this subterranean world disorder. The illegal organ trade is complex and illusory, and without the doctors reporting cases, it will probably remain so.
The US Council on Science and Health occasionally republishes provocative or interesting articles from outside sources. This is by Greg Moorlock, Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Warwick. The article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. 
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