2012.7.20 单词The human tissue trade

来源：www.bbclearningenglish.com

The human tissue trade

Worldwide millions of body parts are turned into medical products every year from tissue donation, in what has become a flourishing trade. When you donate your tissues, every part of the body worth recycling is stripped, from your skin and bones to veins, muscles, eyes and heart valves. Bones can be used in spinal surgery or for dental implants and skin is used for burn victims, for example. But where does it all come from, where is it used and was it all legally procured? 

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found repeated allegations in Ukraine that proper consent had not been obtained. What's more you won't necessarily know that you are receiving human tissue from a corpse.

The United States is the world's biggest trader of products from human tissue, selling an estimated two million body-derived products a year. Yet, according to the report, the authorities don't seem to know how much tissue is imported, where it comes from, or where it subsequently goes. Buying and selling human tissue is illegal in most countries, but paying service fees is permissible and the report says a single disease-free body can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.

tissue donation : the act of giving your body parts for medical use after you die

flourishing trade : growing business

stripped : removed

veins : A blood vessel

heart valves : 心脏瓣膜

spinal : means relating to your spine

dental implants : 牙科移植

procured : obtained

consortium : An association or a society

investigative : Characterized by or engaged in investigation; specializing in uncovering and reporting hidden information

allegation : accusations 

consent : permission

corpse : dead body

body-derived : get from body

imported : brought into a country

subsequently : afterwards

fetch : to bring in as a price