Fighting Back Against Biological Colonialism

Biological colonialism (as I call it) is a real and growing international problem, in which rich Westerners pay destitute people for kidneys, the use of their wombs, and potentially coming soon to a poor country in Asia or Africa, for eggs to do mass human cloning. I have reported on some of the devastating consequences to the lives of the exploited here at SHS.

Now the Philippines has struck an important blow against the practice by banning foreigners from receiving kidney transplants in the country. From the story:

Foreigners will be permanently banned from receiving kidneys for transplant in the Philippines to prevent the country from becoming a major Asian center in an already thriving black-market trade, health officials announced Tuesday.

Extensive kidney trading involving impoverished Filipinos and prisoners--who sell their organs for paltry sums to syndicates catering mostly to foreign clients--has been reported by the local media in recent years.

A temporary ban was recently imposed on kidney transplants involving foreigners. "Today, the Philippine government asserts its mandate to protect the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of our society," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in announcing the ban.

Of course the key is enforcement and breaking up the graft that leads to biological colonialism. But this is a good start that should be emulated around the world.

HT: John B.