The Global Body Market
Altruism's Limits

Offers a frank conversation about altruism in the global body market and critiques the vulnerability of altruism to corruption, coercion, pressure, and other negative externalities.

Michele Goodwin (Edited by)

9781107024687, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 May 2013

236 pages, 1 b/w illus.
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.7 cm, 0.45 kg

'Michele Goodwin captures the excruciatingly complex tension between the apparent altruism of those attempting to provide safe, ethical, and professional transplantation options and those preying upon the sick, frightened, and dying. Professor Goodwin is a medico-legal sleuth, bringing together world-class experts from multiple fields in a collaborative effort to inform and educate us - brilliantly - about this translucent world where law, medicine, public health, crime, life, and death intertwine.' George Woods, University of California Law School, Secretary General, International Academy of Law and Mental Health, and Fellow, American Psychiatric Association

Black and gray markets for body parts are illegal, but also pioneering and inventive. Although this type of criminal activity requires dexterity and innovation, these markets thrive and flourish, sometimes in view of law. On the other hand, altruistic procurement is mired by low participation, which encourages black market transactions. Thousands of patients die each year waiting for an organ or bone marrow donation through the altruistic procurement system, so some turn to the dark side. This book offers a frank discussion of altruism in the global body market. It exposes how researchers exploit their patients' ignorance to harvest tissue samples, blood, and other biologics without consent, chronicles exploitation in the name of altruism, including the non-consensual use of children in dangerous clinical trials, and analyzes social and legal commitments to the value of altruism - offering an important critique of the vulnerability of altruism to corruption, coercion, pressure, and other negative externalities.

Part I. The Blind Side of Altruism: Abuse, Coercion, and Fraud: 1. The perverse history of dead bodies under American law Ray D. Madoff
2. Compelled body donations from children Michele Goodwin
3. Situated bodies in medicine and research: altruism vs. compelled sacrifice Naomi Duke
4. Quid pro quo altruism Jamila Jefferson
Part II. Contestable Commodities: 5. Free markets, free choice? A market approach to reproductive rights Debora L. Spar
6. Exploitation in the global egg trade: emotive terminology or necessary critique? Donna Dickenson
Part III. How to Create and Manage Markets in Contestable Commodities Public and Private Regulation: 7. How to create markets in contestable commodities Richard A. Epstein
8. Taxing the body Dorothy A. Brown
9. Criminal policing of human experimentation L. Song Richardson
10. Liberalizing tort law Michele Goodwin.

Subject Areas: Bio-ethics [PSAD], Medical ethics & professional conduct [MBDC], Medical & healthcare law [LNTM], Law & society [LAQ], Law [L]