1 IntroductionIn 1954, the first successful organ transplant was conducted in the United States. (Clemmons, 2009) Nowadays, organ transplant technology is very advanced and operations are performed every day all over the world. Under the current system, the sale of organs is strictly prohibited in the United States. (Clemmons, 2009) However, in the United States the donor waiting list has doubled in the last decade and the average waiting time for a kidney is also increasing. (Clemmons, 2009) In 2007, over 70,000 patients were on the waiting list for a kidney and nearly 4,500 of them died during the waiting period. In contrast to the growing demand for kidneys, organ donation is decreasing. (Wolfe, Merion, Roys, & Port, 2009) Although the government makes great efforts to increase incentives for donation, the gap between organ supply and demand continues to widen. Furthermore, therapeutic cloning technology is not yet mature, and scientists face many obstacles. (Clemmons, 2009) Therefore, it is clear that a government-regulated kidney market with clear legislation and quality control is the best solution to solve the kidney shortage problem as it improves the lives of both vendors and patients.2 Arguments against kidney sales2.1 Exploitation of the poor Critics of kidney sales argue that poor people are more likely to sell their organs than rich people. (Matas, 2004) They state that the practice of selling kidneys is an injustice as vulnerable sellers are targeted and may suffer from prolonged health problems after the operations which could possibly lead to job losses. (Bramstedt, 2010)2.2 Commodification of human organsThe second argument against the sale of kidneys...... half of the document......, B. (2008). Organ trafficking: it's time to act. Kidney International, 74, 839-840. Svenaeus, F. (2010). The body as a gift, resource or commodity? Heidegger and the ethics of organ transplantation. Bioethical Inquiry, 7, 163-172. Taylor, J. S. (2009). Autonomy and organ sales, revisited. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 34, 632-648. Turner, L. (2009). Commercial Organ Transplantation in the Philippines. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 18, 192-196. Weitz, J., Koch, M., Mehrabi, A., Schemmer, P., Zeier, M., Beimler, J., … Schmidt, J. (2006) . Kidney transplant from a living donor: risks for the donor - benefits for the recipient. Clinical Transplantation, 20(17), 13-16. Wolfe, R., Merion, R., Roys, E., & Port, F. (2009). Trends in organ donation and transplantation in the United States, 1998-2007. American Journal of Transplantation , 9, 869-878.