Bodies Across Borders: The Global Circulation of Body Parts, Medical Tourists and Professionals

Bronwyn Parry*, Beth Greenhough, Tim Brown, Isabel Dyck

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Historically organised at a local or national scale, the fields of medicine and healthcare are being radically transformed by new communication, transport and biotechnologies creating, in the process, a genuinely globalised sphere of biomedical production and consumption. This emerging market is characterised by the circulation of bodily materials (tissues, organs and bio-information), patients and expertise across what traditionally have been relatively secure ontological and geographical borders. Crossing both disciplinary and geographical boundaries, this volume draws together a number of important contributions from acknowledged leaders in three respective fields: the trade in bodily commodities, biomedical tourism and migration of health care professionals. It explores and maps out the key characteristics of this emerging, although as yet poorly researched global trade, questioning how, where and why bodies cross borders, whether this exacerbates existing health inequalities and how these circulations impact on healthcare services. Considered together, the chapters in this volume invite comparisons of the ways in which body parts, patients and medical professionals cross national borders, elucidating common themes, concerns and issues. Contributors also pose important questions about the ethical and legal implications of the circulation of bodies across borders and evaluate current and future strategies for regulation.

Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherTaylor and Francis Ltd.
Number of pages280
ISBN (Electronic)9781315569598
ISBN (Print)9781409457176
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Mar 2016
Externally publishedYes

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