Life's Big Questions

Should Human Kidneys Be Bought And Sold? (1x4)

Air date: Nov 03, 2022

The first successful human kidney transplant took place in 1954. But today, the demand for kidneys greatly outstrips availability and as many as 1 in 10 kidney patients in the UK die before getting the transplant they need. Given that healthy people have two kidneys, and generally only need one, should people be compensated for giving a kidney to someone who needs it? In partnership with The Open University, this film explores the ethics of buying and selling kidneys.