An influx of destitute Syrian refugees has made Lebanon a hub for organ trafficking.

Lebanon: a country where there are sick people with money, healthy Syrian refugees without money, skilled doctors, and no effective government regulation.  It’s a perfect mix for black-market organ trafficking, according to Der Spiegel. The German news magazine interviewed an organ broker who was happily sourcing kidneys from young Syrians desperate for cash.  

One of his clients was Raid, a 19-year-old former player for the Syrian national youth soccer team from Aleppo. Now he, his parents and his six brothers and sisters are all living in Beirut without an income. Raid sold his kidney for about US$7,000; the recipient will probably pay about $14,000. The broker, a 26-year-old named Abu Hussein, will get about $700 as a commission. He is one of five brokers working for a shady boss known as the Big Man. Business is booming: with one million destitute Syrians living in Lebanon, the price for a kidney is falling. 

Michael Cook
Creative commons
Lebanon
organ trafficking
Syria

• Author
• Recent Posts

Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)

• How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
• House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
• Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021