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Kidney Markets

Thursday, 22nd January 2009

Markets all-around:


Across Asia, the going rate for a kidney is usually agreed in the backstreet surgery of some unscrupulous doctor but in Singapore the government will soon be setting the price for this much in-demand organ. A controversial amendment to legalize the payment of compensation to organ donors was put before the Singapore parliament this week and while the health ministry is yet to decide on the upper limit for reimbursement, it is expected to be at least S$50,000 (US$33,000).

This is good news and it would be excellent if the authorities here considered following Singapore's example. Regulation, not prohibition is a pretty useful rule of thumb. And not just, obviously, for organs either.

Read on, mind you, for what the Asia Sentinel calls the "bizarre" tale of an "ailing retail tycoon, the executed triad and the kidney..."

[Thanks to Tyler Cowen]


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