Last year, a Chinese teen sold his kidney
to raise money to buy an Apple iPad and iPhone. Now, five people,
including the surgeon who conducted the operation, are being charged
with "intentional injury."
According to prosecutors, the boy, who was 17 at the time of the
operation, has suffered from renal deficiency, a serious medical
condition in which the kidney fails to filter toxins and waste from the
blood stream.
The story is steeped in both tragedy and intrigue. The boy, who has
not been publicly identified, hails from one of China's poorest
provinces. When his mother saw her son with a new iPad and iPhone, both
highly sought in China, the son admitted that he sold his kidney to pay
for them.
News of the illegal surgery first broke last year.
The boy spoke to a Chinese TV station. "I wanted to buy an iPad 2, but
I didn't have the money," the boy said. "When I surfed the internet I
found an advert posted online by agent saying they were able to pay RMB
20,000 to buy a kidney." That's the equivalent of about $3,100.
According to reports, the boy received only about 10% of what the
kidney buyer paid. The rest went to the surgeon and others involved in
arranging the operation. The operation was conducted in a hospital room
that had been rented out.
Though China has banned the selling and trading of organs, the
practice still occurs on the black market. According to a report from
the Health Ministry, "1.5 million patients need transplants each year, but only 10,000 organs are available." Many of those seeking organs come from other countries.