http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/02/boy-sells-kidney-to-buy-ipad/

By Philip Elmer-DeWitt June 2, 2011: 1:26 PM ET

Not feeling well now. Regrets taking 20,000 yuan ($3,000) for the organ, according to Chinese press.

This is one of those stories that speaks for itself.

According to Thursday's Shanghai Daily, a 17-year-old student in Huaishan City, China, gave his right kidney to get his hands on Apple's (AAPL) hottest-selling product.

"I wanted to buy an iPad 2 but could not afford it," the boy, surnamed Zheng, told the Chinese language Global Times. "A broker contacted me on the Internet and said he could help me sell one kidney for 20,000 yuan."

As luck would have it, the hospital in Chenzhou City that performed the procedure was not qualified to do organ transplants, and the patient, feeling worse for wear, regrets having made the bargain.

When he told his mother what he had done, she called the police. The case is being investigated.

Reader Ken Cheng offers these Chinese language links: Original story in Global Times here. SZTV news coverage here.

What was he thinking?!? Selling his kidney through someone he met on the internet!! That could only have a bad ending!!! :eek: :rolleyes:

Of course, the rhetorical question is: Was it REALLY worth it?

Of course, the rhetorical question is: Was it REALLY worth it?
Considering he now regrets making the deal I would have to say no!

I know that's illegal here. Where were his parents? He had to recuperate, and that's no joke. I watched something on tv last week that profiled some teens in China who are absolutely obsessed with home video games. The kind where they fight. They sit there for days on end. One kid didn't get up to eat or even go to the bathroom. After two days, he fell over and died; severely dehydrated, you name it. Other kids are developing very bad backs.

It's just sick, no matter which way you look at it. :eek:

It's just sick, no matter which way you look at it. :eek:

Amen to that! It's sad stories like this that make me realize being a slow technological adaptor is not the worst thing.

^ :yeahthat