Here’s a story with its up- and downsides. China has admitted “most of the human organs used in transplants here are taken from executed prisoners and that many of the recipients are foreigners who pay hefty sums to avoid a long wait,” according to the LA Times. Some of those foreigners are Americans.

My initial response was, “why the heck not?” If they’re being executed anyway, why waste organs that could go to good use?

The only problem here is in the warped incentives it presents China. The country essentially benefits from executing more prisoners regardless of the crime. And they’re executing plenty.

According to the story:

“The acknowledgment…came about two weeks after China announced it would tighten oversight of capital cases, requiring that death sentences be approved by the country’s highest court. Legal experts estimate that will reduce executions by a third.

“Though China doesn’t disclose the number of annual executions, Amnesty International says at least 1,770 people were put to death in 2005, based on a review of Chinese media reports. Some activists say the annual figure could be as high as 10,000.

“The lower estimate represents more than 80% of at least 2,148 that Amnesty International says took place worldwide last year. The United States executed 60 prisoners.

“In July, China ruled that all sales of organs were illegal. But enforcing its decrees can be a problem, especially when substantial profits are involved.”

Another interesting angle is in the fact they admitted the problem at the same time they cut executions. This leads me to believe that the old situation — high execution rate, no admission — was perpetuated because of the profit. It seems they’re only tackling the organ sales problem because they have a ready-made solution. “We’re working on it — see, we’re reviewing the cases!”

Finally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with organ sales in principle. If someone is willing to donate an organ for pay, but not out of the goodness of his heart, who’s harmed if he gets paid? He gets money, the rich person gets an organ. Crass but practical.

The same would go for the executed — if only we could be sure they would be still be executed if not for the profit.

Mother Jones weighs in here.

Robert VerBruggen blogs at http://robertsrationale.blogspot.com.