Organ Trade in India - The Grey Area

Abstract

Master Thesis Abstract Institute of Political Studies Faculty of Social Sciences Charles University in Prague Author: Pavithra Ramesh Supervisor: Janusz Salamon, Ph.D. E-mail: Pavithra.ramesh14@gmail.co m E-mail: janusz.salamon@univ- oxford.com Phone: +420774960096 Phone: +420731816202 Specialisation: IEPS Defense Planned: June 2017 Topic: Bioethics is the study concerned with the implications of medical procedures, technologies and treatments from the perspective of ethics, philosophy, law and its implementation. It encompasses a wide range of ethical concerns in relation to organ transplants, genetic engineering, artificial reproduction, euthanasia etc. My thesis is an attempt to probe into certain ethical nuances amidst the technological advances in the field of medicine. Particularly, with respect to organ trade in India. Since the origin of medicine the primal goals have followed the Hippocratic Oath of "Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always." (Adams 1891). The questions this perception of early medicine leaves us with are: Have we withdrawn from the compassion and ethics prescribed with the advent of advanced lab technology? What are the issues around organ trade in India? What causes these issues? And how can this be dealt with? The approach to pursue the answers for the above, revolves around...