Have you ever asked yourself the question “How much is a person worth?”, or “How much do human organs cost?” The question is ambiguous, but interesting. Oddly enough, human organs are considered one of the most popular goods, both in Russia and the world. In the article we will talk about how much body parts are sold for, as well as how legal it is and whether it can be done.
Let's figure out together how much human organs cost
How much is a person worth in general?
Man, by his nature, is a unique creature, although he is an animal by nature. People, unlike animals, have the ability to take a creative approach to the process of work. Human organs have a liquid value and are in high demand. When estimating how much human organs cost, according to data from various sources, different criteria are used, and therefore the cost differs. According to one information, the cost of human organs is approximately 1 million US dollars; according to other sources, the total cost of organs reaches almost 4 billion rubles. It is important to note that the final cost depends on the lifestyle of the person that the donor led, and also, as a consequence, the quality of the organs being sold.
Hence, the logical question is “How can you sell a person?”, or how can you sell organs. Let's talk about this later in the article.
How much human organs cost depends on the quality of life of the donor himself.
Eggs and sperm
They are required for those ladies who, for certain reasons, cannot get pregnant.
The material is taken from completely healthy donors no older than 35 years old who have successfully given birth at least once in their lives. Semen is obtained from men under 35 years of age who have excellent health, good physical characteristics and good appearance. One portion of sperm is estimated from 500 to 3,500 rubles. The cost depends on the specific medical center.
An egg is bought for an average of 65,000 rubles. The procedure for its extraction is carried out under anesthesia.
Total cost of human organs
The value of human organs varies. However, by comparing information from various sources, a price segment is compiled for each organ:
- Two kidneys – 50 thousand US dollars according to some sources, and up to 140 thousand US dollars according to others;
- Liver – prices start from 120 thousand US dollars;
- Pancreas – 70-120 thousand US dollars;
- Lightweight (2 pieces) – from 40 to 200 thousand US dollars;
- Heart – about 250 thousand US dollars;
- Bone marrow – 23 thousand US dollars per 1 gram (an adult man contains up to 2.5 kg of the substance, which in monetary terms is up to 60 million US dollars);
- Cornea - information varies greatly. According to some sources, prices are about 5 thousand US dollars, according to other information from 300 thousand US dollars. It is difficult to determine a single average price;
- Male or female gonads – up to 15 thousand US dollars;
Prices are approximate and are not final. It is also worth noting that the organs of a living person are 2 times more expensive than those of a dead person.
Liver
It is considered the main filter of the body. It is the liver that ensures the removal of toxic breakdown products of alcohol, fats and medications. Therefore, this organ suffers especially severely in people who abuse alcohol, fast food, etc.
Liver transplantation is a procedure that is becoming increasingly popular. The price is:
- a whole liver is $120,000;
- fragment - $60,000.
In rubles it will be 7,645,000 and 3,823,000, respectively.
Without compromising health, we sell renewable
It's not just vital organs that are sold. There is also a high demand for renewable parts of oneself. The current situation in the world with COVID-19 is also recalled. The blood of people who have been ill is valued, as it has antibodies. Renewable products that are sold without harming one’s own health include:
Hair
Blood
Sperm
Ovules
The cost of renewable human parts is lower than that of non-renewable organs.
How much does sperm cost?
Semen donation is quite common. Single women often turn to artificial insemination services, and therefore there is a demand for sperm. An adult male between the ages of 18 and 35 can become a donor. Before becoming a donor, you will need to take a bunch of different tests: hepatitis, HIV test, general blood test, and DNA test. You will not have to pay for tests from the list; clinics will cover the costs themselves. The price for delivery is different: starts from 1.5 thousand rubles and up to 4 thousand rubles. Before donation, you will need to comply with certain restrictions: abstain from sexual intercourse for 3-5 days, do not use drugs, tobacco and alcohol, and it is also prohibited to visit baths and saunas.
You can donate biomaterial no more than 6-8 times a month. But clinics do not always need such a quantity of material.
Men have the opportunity to donate their biomaterial for a fee
How much will the hair cost?
There are hair transplant operations. This requires real human hair, not artificial hair. Hair is in good demand. It is important that only long hair is suitable for sale; the length must be at least 50 cm, so in most cases only women can sell hair. The most valuable hair is considered to be hair that has not been dyed and also has a light shade.
For a kilogram of light and healthy hair they can offer up to 100 thousand rubles. Shades close to light brown are estimated at 40-60 thousand per kilogram. Dark, split ends and dyed hair are valued much lower and can cost around 10-20 thousand per kilogram.
How much do eggs cost?
Women experience various illnesses that can lead to infertility, but such women still want to give birth. For such cases, there is egg donation. Any woman who is in the age range of 18-30 years and has given birth to at least one healthy child can sell her eggs. Before taking the exam, you will have to undergo numerous medical examinations and tests. In the Russian Federation, they pay from 50 to 80 thousand rubles for one egg. You can take it no more than once every three months and no more than 6-8 times in your entire life.
How much does it cost to donate blood?
The easiest way to sell a part of yourself is to become a blood donor. Blood is needed for transfusion, for people who, for example, have experienced large blood loss. The blood donation option is available to men and women over the age of 18 and weighing more than 50 kg. You can donate no more than 400 ml at a time. They pay either 3,500 rubles or 550 rubles and a food ration. You can take it no more than 5 times a year, and therefore receive no more than 20 thousand rubles. By donating blood regularly over several years, you can earn the title of honorary donor and receive additional vacation days and additional payments.
Donating blood is the easiest and most legal way to make money from your own body.
Lifestyle after transplant
The patient’s lifestyle in the postoperative period after a heart transplantation procedure consists of the following components:
- Nutrition. It is important for the patient to switch to a healthy lifestyle, completely stop drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking. It is necessary to follow a diet, excluding harmful foods (smoked, fried, fatty, etc.) from your diet.
- Physical activity. During the first month after surgery, the patient must strictly adhere to the restrictive regime. However, normal daily activity should still be present. After a couple of months, the patient is allowed to return to driving a car, and after a few more, begin light physical activity (walking, gymnastics, etc.).
- Protection against infections. The patient should try to avoid visiting public places for several months after transplantation and contact with people suffering from infectious diseases. It is equally important to wash your hands thoroughly before eating, drink only boiled water, and eat food that has been well heat-treated. This is due to the fact that due to suppressed immunity, the likelihood of the patient becoming infected with viral, fungal, and bacterial diseases increases after the start of immunosuppressive treatment.
- Use of medications. This part of a heart transplant patient's life is the most important. The patient must carefully observe the time of taking medications and strictly follow the dosage prescribed by the doctor. As a rule, we are talking about the use of hormonal drugs and cytostatics, the action of which is aimed at suppressing one’s own immunity, which attacks foreign tissue of the heart muscle.
In general, it should be noted that the patient's life after surgery undoubtedly changes significantly, but the quality of life without swelling, palpitations and shortness of breath changes for the better.
Harmful, but not fatal - Organ donation
Even if you meet all the medical criteria and express a desire to become an organ donor, you may still encounter obstacles. Each country has its own laws and regulations in this regard. Thus, in Russia only a relative can become an organ donor during their lifetime. And if you decide to become a donor in the absence of a relationship, then this will be considered a criminal offense and fall under Article 120 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. There is no direct ban on the purchase and sale of organs in Russia, but there are precedents for problems arising, both for the donors themselves and for the doctors treating such cases.
What is the cost of a liver
The liver is one of the most vital organs in the human body. The liver takes on all the damage that we cause to the body by drinking alcohol, fast food and other unhealthy treats. Thus, due to excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time, liver cirrhosis occurs. The liver must be protected; it performs many important functions: it is responsible for processing food, regulating the body’s temperature, and also removing toxic substances.
The entire liver or part of it can be donated. It is important to note that a whole liver is not required for the normal functioning of the body; only a part will be sufficient. The cost of the entire liver will cost 120 thousand US dollars, part of the liver is half the cost of the whole one, i.e. at 60 thousand. The liver can be taken from a living patient or from a deceased one, but according to most studies, the liver of a living person adapts to the recipient’s body much faster.
It is important to understand that donation during your lifetime can significantly affect your physical condition.
Bone marrow prices
When answering the question “How much does a person cost”, it is important to focus on one of the most important organs – the bone marrow. In this case, we are not talking about the brain that is in our head, but about something a little different. The bone marrow is responsible for most of the blood processes in the body.
The functioning of the bone marrow largely determines the condition of the body, and in case of disturbances it can lead to leukemia or other diseases. If a person does become ill with one of the blood diseases, a bone marrow transplant may be required.
The process of bone marrow collection is completely harmless to the donor. Elements of the donor's bone marrow help patients fight cancer. Bone marrow is a very expensive element - the cost is approximately 23.5 thousand US dollars per 1 g.
How much does it cost to sell a kidney?
According to statistics, the majority of organ transplants involve kidneys, namely 75%. For normal life, a person needs 1 kidney. An operation, even the simplest one, is always a risk, because you can never say with 100% probability that everything will be successful and the transplanted organ will take root in the human body. However, modern medicine uses the most advanced technologies and methods, and therefore the chances of an unsuccessful outcome are virtually minimized. The prices for a human kidney are quite immodest. The average global price for a kidney is 70 thousand US dollars. In the Russian Federation, the price starts from 2.5 million rubles and reaches 6 million rubles.
What is the price of a person
Having figured out how much organs cost, all that remains is to add the amounts together. So:
- a pair of kidneys – 8,920,000;
- pancreas – 4,500,000;
- liver – 7,645,000;
- lungs – 2,540,000;
- 2 corneas – 640,000;
- bone marrow – 3,810,000,000 (1,465,331 × 2,600 ml);
- heart – 16,000,000;
- small intestine – 160,000;
- hair – 20,000 (on average there is about 200 g);
- leather – 19,500;
- blood - 45,500.
The total is 3,850,490,000 rubles.
How much does a brain cost?
Probably, the brain is the most complex substance in the human body, responsible for a combination of various processes, conducts mental activity, and gives commands to the rest of the body. The capabilities of the human brain are still not fully understood and are the subject of debate and controversy. Due to the complexity of the structure, there have been no precedents for human brain transplantation, so it is impossible to talk about the cost of this organ. At the moment, perhaps the cost should be described as “priceless.” There is a possibility that somewhere on the black market you can find a human brain, but this is already an illegal trade in organs and a very immoral activity. I think that over the coming years medicine will actively develop and soon we will learn about the possibility of human brain transplantation.
There are currently no cases of human brain transplantation
Contraindications for transplantation
Such surgical intervention is contraindicated in the following situations:
- Severe form of pulmonary hypertension (presence of high pressure in the pulmonary artery).
- A severe form of diabetes mellitus, in which there is damage to the retina, kidneys, and blood vessels.
- Active tuberculosis process, HIV infection.
- Acute forms of infectious diseases.
- Severe forms of liver and kidney failure.
- Systemic diseases of an autoimmune nature (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, others).
- Severe degree of chronic obstructive disease.
- Drug and alcohol addiction.
- Oncological diseases.
- Acute stages of mental illness.
We talked about the cost of a heart transplant in Moscow.
The price of a lung
The lungs perform the respiratory function in the human body. They supply oxygen to all organs. In modern society, where there are many factories, factories and industries that emit vapors into the atmosphere and, as a result, the air becomes dirty. People breathe this poisonous air and develop lung diseases. Lung donation is not an easy process, since after the death of a person the lungs are suitable for transplantation for only 2 hours, after which they die after the carrier. In this regard, it is necessary to act quickly and the cost of the operation, including two lungs, increases - from 20 to 30 thousand US dollars.
Heart transplantation from a religious perspective
Previously, when the field of transplantology was just beginning to develop, representatives of almost all religions had mixed opinions in relation to heart transplantation. For example, representatives of Christianity believed that such an operation was not a godly act, since a person’s still living heart was actually taken away. In addition, it is believed that theoretically a person can emerge from a comatose state after a few months. But due to the fact that doctors clearly differentiate the state of coma and brain death, more and more clergy in recent years have begun to say that saving someone else’s life after one’s own death is the true purpose of a believer, since the basis of such an action is sacrifice. And giving your heart is a benefit to other people.
We looked at the cost of a heart transplant in Russia.
How much is a heart worth?
The heart is the epicenter of many processes in the body. As a result, it is more vulnerable to disease, as the diet of where the disease can come from increases. In adulthood, many people's hearts begin to fail and may require surgery or even a heart transplant. After a heart attack or stroke, a person’s heart cannot cope with the load and therefore the body may need a new one. But even after performing a heart transplant, most often it does not save patients, because most heart transplant operations end in death. If the operation is successful, the patient’s life expectancy is increased by no more than 5 years. Despite this, heart transplant operations are carried out in many countries, because if a heart transplant is not performed, then an alternative option to maintain the patient’s life is to connect him to a stationary machine. Based on all these facts, the cost of a heart and its transplant surgery increases significantly. Prices average 250 thousand US dollars or from 17 million rubles.
Heart surgery and heart transplantation are very common in transplantology
Method of performing transplant surgery
The heart transplant procedure in Moscow begins with the removal of the donor organ from the body and placing it in a container with a cardioplegic solution for no more than 4-6 hours. During this time, preoperative preparation of the recipient is carried out (premedication - sedative and analgesic drugs are administered). Then, in the operating room, using general anesthesia, the recipient's anterior chest wall is cut, large vessels are connected to a machine that performs artificial blood circulation (ACB), which will perform the function of an artificial heart during the operation.
Then the left and right ventricles of the heart are cut off. The atria are preserved. Preserving your own atria allows you to leave the sinus node active, which sets the rhythm of heart contractions and is the pacemaker.
The donor's atria are then sutured to the recipient's atria and a temporary pacemaker is placed to maintain adequate heart rate after transplantation. The chest is sutured and an aseptic bandage is applied. This operation takes several hours, usually no more than 6.
The next stage of surgical intervention is cardiotonic (supporting cardiac activity) and immunosuppressive treatment. Immune suppression (usually through the use of cyclosporine) is required to eliminate rejection reactions and successful graft engraftment.
What is the price of a head
There are cases when organ transplantation is not able to help a person and death is inevitable. In this case, we can talk about transplanting a person’s head onto another, healthy body. As of today, such operations have not been performed on humans, but one American doctor performed a similar operation on experimental animals. His plans include carrying out a similar operation on a person; a person has already been found who agrees to the operation. According to the surgeon himself, the cost of the operation will be 12 million US dollars, of which 5 million will go to the donor’s body.
Possible complications after transplantation
Among the complications that can occur in the early period after surgery are bleeding from the wound and infectious lesions. The first can be treated quite successfully by reopening the wound and suturing the source of bleeding. To prevent infectious (viral, fungal, bacterial) complications, the patient is prescribed antibiotic medications and an adequate immunosuppression regimen.
In the long-term period after surgery, the development of rejection of the transplanted heart, as well as dysfunction of the coronary arteries, accompanied by myocardial ischemia of the donor organ, is likely.
Bones and ligaments
Athletes often experience problems related to bones and ligaments. Numerous sprains, fractures, tears, tears, and so on, all this is normal for athletes. Often, fractures and sprains heal with the help of conservative treatment methods. In some cases, the ligaments are cut out, because the body can continue to function normally without them. So, for example, a fairly common injury among football players is a serious injury by sports standards - a cruciate ligament rupture.
If the conservative method cannot be used, and removal does not create the desired effect, then the ligament or bone is replaced. The advantage of ligaments and bones, compared to other human organs, is that they do not have a shelf life. The cost is not the same as other organs and depends on the part of the person's body. Thus, a cruciate ligament costs about 5.5 thousand US dollars. The cost of the brush will be approximately $350.
How much does an organ transplant cost?
The price of the heart includes the services of people who will remove it and deliver it to the transplant site. That is why, with a formal agreement, the cost of an organ can reach up to 13 million rubles.
It also includes the use of high-quality materials during surgery and the use of high-quality medical equipment at all stages.
The operation can be performed in one of the following ways:
- heterotopic – the patient’s own heart is not removed, the donor organ is placed above it on the right;
- orthotopic – the patient’s heart muscle is removed and replaced with a new one.
Most often, doctors perform orthotopic surgery; it is considered classic.
Its cost can increase to 60 million rubles if the patient requires not only a human heart, but also lungs. In this case, relatives will have to pay up to 50 million rubles just for transporting organs and paying compensation. A normal operation, when they work on only one organ, costs from 13 to 20 million. The final price of the intervention depends on the urgency and how complex the procedure will be. There are several factors that can increase it to 100 million rubles:
- age of the donor and the patient;
- both have serious diseases that cause complications during transplantation;
- urgency.
The most expensive will be an immediate transplant; this is required if the donor has already died, and the patient cannot wait for a transplant for a few more days, for example, with artificial support of his life.
Leather
Leather also has value. Skin grafting operations are required for people who have suffered skin damage, severe burns - thermal, electrical and chemical. If possible, skin is transplanted from another part of the victim’s body. If the first option is not possible, then they resort to donor assistance. As a rule, donors are deceased people who have agreed in advance to donate their skin for the benefit of others. Leather costs $10 per square inch.
The skin is not such an expensive organ; its cost compared to other organs is insignificant
What determines the price of a heart and how much it costs
The heart is one of the most important human organs that cannot be removed during life. Therefore, its cost is very high. It depends on factors:
- is a complex transplant (heart + lungs) necessary?
- urgency of the operation;
- place of purchase of the organ: the black market or an agreement with the relatives of the person killed in an accident or at work.
By making an agreement with the relatives of a person who has already died, it will be possible to obtain a human heart for only a few hundred thousand. If a person is in a coma and further resuscitation does not lead to results, then intermediaries can contact relatives; they set a price from 8 to 13 million per organ. There are black transplantologists who are ready to help find a donor for 3-4 million rubles.
Is this legal?
According to Russian law, a person cannot be bought or sold. The rule also affects internal organs and is regulated by Law No. 120 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. However, organs are one of the most popular commodities in the world.
People suffer from diseases and need replacement of individual organs. The waiting list for organ transplants reaches decades, and therefore people are willing to pay a lot of money to receive organs from private individuals. A black market is emerging where organs are also sold. Nevertheless, in most countries of the world the practice of buying and selling organs is legal and actively functioning. Only in order to sell your organs will you need the approval of close relatives or will another condition be imposed, depending on the country.
The most expensive organs are the bone marrow, liver, lungs, heart and cornea of the eye.
Bone marrow
The human body is very complex, and many of its processes do not occur without the participation of the above-mentioned organ. Bone marrow, in particular, produces hemoglobin, an essential component of blood. The deficiency of the latter manifests itself especially strongly in diseases such as leukemia. In this case, a bone marrow transplant can help in recovery.
How much do they pay for it? Just 1 ml is sold for $23,000 (1,465,331 rubles).
The bone marrow removal procedure does not cause damage to the donor - its volume is restored quite quickly.
Conclusion
In the article we answered the question “How much does a person cost” and “How much do organs cost?” Theoretically, we have confirmed that in the modern world it is possible to sell a person. Such a sale does not correspond to the sale of goods, since the transfer of organs and body parts requires the consent of the donor and appropriate legislative permission to conduct such “trade”. In general, even in Russia there is an opportunity to make money by transferring individual parts of the body, which allows a person to make good money.
Types of transplantation
Today, two main methods of performing the operation are known. They are heterotopic transplantation , in which the patient's own heart is not removed, but the donor is placed under it on the right side, and orthotopic transplantation , as a result of which the donor heart is replaced with the recipient's heart. This method is recognized as the most common.
What is an artificial heart
The mechanism received the English name “TAN”. If the abbreviation is deciphered and translated from English, “TAN” means “Total Artificial Heart”. This is a device used to replace ventricles during transplantation.
Mechanisms capable of maintaining the human body in a viable state are divided into two large groups:
- Oxygenators are devices that saturate the patient’s blood with oxygen.
- Cardiac prostheses are implants that are installed in the body for its life support.
Both groups of devices are used during prolonged operations on open myocardium and while waiting for a donor heart for further transplantation.
A device capable of driving blood through human veins was invented by Dr. Demikhov in the USSR. In the 30s of the last century, as an experiment, a doctor performed a heart replacement operation on a dog, installing a pump in place of the organ. The device was connected to the engine externally. Almost 30 years later in America, scientists Akutsu and Kolf came up with a plastic heart that includes four valves. The model of the device was as close as possible to a real human organ.
The first successful replacement of a diseased organ with an artificial mechanism took place in 1969 by Dr. Cooley in the USA. His patient had a serious diagnosis - a left ventricular aneurysm. The doctor removed part of the affected myocardium. As a result of the operation, the patient’s body was unable to independently maintain blood flow.
A heart transplant was presented as the only chance to save the patient's life. Dr. Cooley installed a mechanical device that made it possible to disconnect the patient from the external circulation machine. The patient lived with an artificial heart in his chest while his own organ was damaged. The transplant lasted 64 hours! During this time, doctors were able to find a donor organ. The patient underwent a second operation: the artificial organ was replaced with the healthy heart of another person. The transplant was successful.
Dr. Denton Cooley
Ironically, the donor's strong and healthy heart did not save the patient's life. Despite the successful two-stage heart muscle transplantation, the patient lived only two days. He died of pneumonia.
Interestingly, in the last century, all further attempts to create a mechanical model of the heart muscle were unsuccessful. It was only in 2010 that the mechanism was installed for the first time in a patient. This happened in a Moscow clinic. An artificial organ helped the patient survive while waiting for a donor.
The mechanism is installed on the atria, replacing the lower sections - the ventricles. Mechanical valves function near the atria, similar to natural heart valves. They regulate blood flow, direct the blood that enters the affected organ.
The mechanical device installed in the chest is quite large in size and has an impressive volume. It will not fit into every chest cavity. There are no devices that can be installed by children. A smaller artificial heart is currently being developed.
Indications for installation of an artificial heart
"TAN" must be installed when both the first and second ventricles are out of order. Potential clients for heart transplants are people suffering from end-stage heart failure. The device prolongs the life of patients and also improves its quality.
This is important to know! An artificial heart is a last resort in treating a patient! This option is offered to people who have already tried all possible options and methods of treatment, both conservative and surgical.
The main indication for heart muscle transplantation is the final (terminal) stage of heart failure, which cannot be treated conservatively. People with end-stage heart disease do not live long. On average from 3 to 6 months, maximum – 1 year.
Indirect indications for installation of an artificial heart (diseases that can lead to severe heart failure):
- Organ tumor;
- Congenital or acquired heart defect , which cannot be corrected by surgery;
- Cardiomyopathy is a change in myocardial tissue to scar tissue; this condition disrupts the periods of muscle contraction and relaxation. Typically, failure is caused by ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy;
- Angina;
- Irregular heart rhythm, resulting in a violation of the human condition. Transplantation is indicated only if the condition is not corrected with medication;
Attention! Heart replacement surgery is not performed on elderly people. The upper permissible limit is 65 years.
