Insight into organ trade in the U.S.: an exploratory study amongst medical and transplant professionals

Currently, there is a substantial gap in contemporary criminology and health scholarship regarding illicit organ transplantation, or organ trade, in the United States. What research does exist is conducted in international contexts. Despite legislation outlining organ trade as an illicit act, wherein organs are exchanged for anything of value, and medical policy banning such actions, no empirical work has explored whether it occurs. In addition, unlike countries with more empirical evidence, little awareness exists about U.S. organ trade, causing medical professionals to operate under myths, speculation and estimates that are unsubstantiated. Building on scholarship conducted in international contexts, this study utilised qualitative interviews with transplant professionals to provide expert insight into how U.S. professionals perceive organ trade. The findings suggest that various professionals across the transplant community define and understand organ trade and trafficking in the U.S. as a risk to patient safety, transplant outcomes and medical ethics.