China to Stop Harvesting Inmate Organs

“China officials plan to phase out organ harvesting of death-row inmates, a move to overhaul a transplant system that has for years relied on prisoners and organ traffickers to serve those in need of transplants.”

– The word harvesting makes it seem like the inmates are plants instead of humans. It also makes it seem like the inmates sole purpose it to be used as an organ donor. The word harvesting also infers that the inmates are grown like plants. However, we know this is not true.

– Why has the transplant system “relied on prisoners and organ traffickers to serve those in need of transplants” ? Does this mean that there are not enough willing, non-inmates to donors to fulfill the needs of those in need of an organ transplant?

– The word serve makes it seem like it is duty of the prisoners to donate their organs.

“The pledge to abolish organ donations from condemned prisoners represents the resolve of the government.”

– While the Mr. Huang uses the statement to try and show a strong, united front, it is doubtful that everyone in the government wants to abolish this practice.

– Would this pledge abolish organ donations from all inmates on death row? Although the numbers may not be high, some death row inmate may choose to donate their organs, and this pledge will deprive them of that option.

“Officials in the world’s most populous country have conceded that China has depended for years on executed prisoners as its main source of organ supply for ailing citizens.”

– This claim could be made stronger by adding statistics to it. How many years has China depended on executed prisoners as its main source of organ supply? What percentage of all organ donations come from executed prisoners?

– The claim again brings up the question “Why is China so dependent on executed prisoners donating their organs?”

– While China is the most populous country, this fact is irrelevant to the argument.

– Specifying what officials could also strengthen the claim.

“Human-rights groups say the harvesting is often forced and influences the pace of China’s executions.”

– The claim is accusing the Chinese judicial system of being unjust

– It is implied that more inmates are  being executed so that the government can harvest their organs.

– The government is also accused of harvesting the death-row inmates’ organs without their consent or not giving them the choice not to be donors.

“Mr. Huang has been quoted in state media reports as saying that the rights of death-row prisoners have been fully respected and that the state asks for written consent prior to donation.”

– The author uses this quote in response to the previous quote. Whether the state actually asks for written consent could be a lie. As the minister of health, Mr. Huang is required to say something that counters the argument that harvesting organs from death row inmates has influenced the sentencing of criminals.

– Who determines what the rights of death-row prisoners are and whether they are being respected? As a minister of health and not of law, Mr. Huang does not seem like the ideal person to determine what rights these inmates have.

“Due in part to traditional beliefs and distrust of the medical system, voluntary donations are rare in China, where the need for organs far exceeds the supply.”

– The claim could be made stronger by adding why the Chinese do not trust their medical system. The author plants the seed without providing the sunshine and water to allow it to grow.

– Similarly, the author does not mention what traditions prevent the Chinese from donating their organs.

– If the need for organs far exceeds the supply, then maybe the government should find more ways to increase organ donation instead of cutting off one of their main supplies of organs.

“They say that the government’s efforts to educate the public on organ donation have been inadequate.”

– Previously in the article the author states that people aren’t donating because of religious beliefs and distrust of the medical system, so re-educating the population would most likely not get the people who fall into this category to change their minds.

– Does Sarah Schafer have any suggestions on how to adequately educate the public?

Mr. Huang is quoted as saying that infection rates for prisoners’ organs are typically high, causing a lower long-term survival rate for Chinese with transplanted organs than for people in other countries.”

– Why are they harvesting these organs if the infection rates for prisoners’ organs are high and decrease the long-term survival rate of the recipients?

– It should be the responsibility of the harvesters/doctors to check the organs for disease and infection before the recipients receive the organs.

– Why is the infection rate of prisoners’ organs typically high? The Chinese must not take care of their inmates and the facilities they reside in.

– If the Chinese took better care of their inmates to help prevent disease and infection and the ministry of medicine tested the organs for infection before they were transplanted, the long term survival rate of recipients would increase

– From the article we can infer that people are dying because they are not receiving the organs that they need due to a lack of donors. However, apparently people are also dying because they are receiving infected organs.