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SINGAPORE: At least two members of parliament have confirmed they will speak about the issue of legalising organ trading in Parliament next week.
However, opinions remain split over whether Singapore should even consider the possibility of allowing the sale and purchase of organs.
Both MPs - Mdm Halimah Yacob and Dr Lam Pin Min - come from the same Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, but have different opinions with regards to organ trading.
Mdm Halimah expressed surprise that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is even considering the possibility of legalising organ trade. She said she is doubtful that legalising the sale of organs will increase supply and eliminate a black market.
"My biggest concern is the poor at the end of the day will be subjected to a lot of pressure to sell their kidneys or their organ. I really worry for the day when we get a poor Singaporean (when organ selling is legalised, who) goes to the newspapers, and he advertises for the sale of his organ to the highest bidder, and the highest bidder will not be a Singaporean," she said.
Mdm Halimah said to meet the shortage in organ supply, Singapore should instead provide incentives to living donors.
She said: "For instance, give the live donor free medical checkups every year. There are many ways we can do that to incentivise people without going into buying and selling of our body parts."
However, Dr Lam Pin Min said nine years is too long a wait for organ failure patients.
He said: "Organ failure sufferers go through a difficult time and for some, especially those suffering from liver failure, it's a matter of life and death and we should not just disregard their sufferings and forbid organ trading just like that."
He suggests that Singapore's Health Ministry set up a workgroup to study the challenges of organ trading.
"Instead of calling it sale of organ... it can be a kind of compensation - whether it's in kind or in cash - to the donor who's donating his organ to the recipient," he said.
Dr Lam said he will ask MOH to study the possibility of legalising organ trading, while Madam Halimah will ask the same ministry what prompted the change in the position on the issue. - CNA/vm
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