by Sophia Golec

Posted on May 1, 2013

In response to this week’s conclusion to the Kosovo organ trafficking trials, Canadian prosecutor Jonathan Ratel calls for an end to transplant tourism among Canadian patients.

Of the five doctors tried, 3 were sentenced to up to eight years in prison and 2 were freed. One witness was a Canadian man who purchased a black-market kidney from the doctors.

The organ trafficking ring, which is said to have performed 24 kidney transplants, has sparked international conversation about both sides of organ trafficking. Ratel points to Canadian legislature, citing a critical lack of laws prohibiting transplant tourism.

Although it is illegal to trade in organs, Canada currently has no system to prevent its citizens from purchasing black-market organs abroad in so-called transplant tourism. These organs are procured at a huge profit for the doctors and at the expense of the health and even lives of donors.

Transplant tourism pits the rich against the poor. Wealthy patients from Canada, Israel, Poland, the U.S. and Germany paid up to $170,000 for a life-saving kidney from the Kosovo ring. The donors are often the poorest members of society, who receive little remuneration for their priceless organs.

Ratel told Vancouver Sun, “This is the exploitation of the poor, the indigent, the vulnerable and the marginalized in our society – they are the only ones who would even possibly consider this, the sale of your own body parts or organs.”