Flesh Trade: Why not let people sell their organs?

We already pay healthy people to risk their health in safety trials of new drugs (Freakonomics, Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt, July 9). The risks in these trials can be harder to control than the risks in well-studied transplant procedures. We also pay people to risk their health in other ( Read more... )

The Future of Medical MalpracticeThe Democrats' opposition to malpractice reform runs counter to core Democratic values. To those struggling to make ends meet, even a small decrease in cost of health care can mean the difference between getting treatment or not ( Read more... )

Imports vs. no drugsThe opposing view on drug re-importation by William Hubbard, associate commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, mentions a patient who was harmed by imported drugs ("Risks are too high", High prescription costs debate, Aug. 23). But how many patients are harmed when they can't afford drugs because of the ban on ( Read more... )

Why Shouldn't We Buy Imported Drugs?If it's wrong for retailers to profit from hurricane-caused scarcity of necessities (''With Storm Gone, Floridians Are Hit With Price Gouging,'' front page, Aug. 18), it's wrong for drug makers to profit from government-caused scarcity of drugs ( Read more... )

Rental ethics

I'm looking for an apartment. If I take an apartment priced below what I can afford, I take it away from someone who can't afford a more expensive one. If I take a more expensive one, I contribute to the upward pressure on prices for all apartments. Do these choices cancel out, or is there a preference?

Before We Lecture CubaRe ''Cuba's Other Face'' (letter, May 23 ( Read more... )

Spend on DefendersOne way to reduce prison costs is to spend more money on indigent defense (Opinion, Jan. 5). Defendants represented by overworked and underpaid public defenders are likely to get longer prison terms, costing taxpayers more than was saved on defense. Closer scrutiny by better-paid public defenders would ensure that long sentences ( Read more... )

Social Security's Deal

A Dec. 30 letter calls Social Security a ''welfare program,'' implying that benefits are a free gift and not an obligation. I thought it's paid to people who contributed to the fund from their earnings. They lived up to their part of the deal. Shouldn't we live up to ours?