Globalization and the Black Market Organ Trade: When Even a Kidney Can't Pay the Bills

Abstract

Limited attention has been focused on globalization and disability, and within this realm, the link between the black market organ trade and disability has been unexplored. Globalization as we know it, through its promotion of a competitive market-based economy and the resulting systems of national healthcare, is creating and exploiting an international community of disabled people. These disabled people are organ "donors," forced to stake their livelihood on internal organs that are sold through the classic hierarchical ranks of oppression. The goals and systems of globalization today must take these disabled communities into account, or the resulting poverty and lack of proper medical care will continue to fuel the trade in human organs.