Examining the social history of organ trafficking in Turkiye through national news

Until the mid-20th century, diseases caused by organ failure were considered incurable. However, advancements in modern medicine and healthcare technology since 1954 have made it possible to treat these diseases before the turn of the millennium. Yet, the effective treatment of these diseases relies on the transplantation of healthy organs obtained from either living or deceased donors by experienced surgeons. While single organs in the human body are obtained from deceased donors, kidney and liver failures can be treated with organs procured from living donors. However, not every patient suffering from chronic kidney or liver failure has a relative or friend willing to donate an organ. The requirement for full-informed consent in living organ donation has placed the vital importance of donated organs at the forefront of a cultural and sociological issue, marking a revolutionary development in the field of healthcare. The experience of receiving blood transfusions for survival in exchange of money, a common occurrence in one's journey to survive, has led patients on the brink of death due to illness to consider purchasing organs from donors as a last resort, highlighting the inadequacies in both living and deceased organ donations. This research aims to study the social history of organ trafficking in Turkiye, a social phenomenon exemplified by blood exchange, through an analysis of news articles on organ trafficking published in the national press between 1954 and 2024. Through this study, the social nature of organ trafficking as an illegal activity in Turkey will be explored, revealing how it emerged, evolved, and its current status. Consequently, the developments in the field of organ transplantation will be examined in their social and cultural dimensions, revealing the ethical implications of this illegal human activity between life and death.