A Prisoner to Fashion......

According to this Guardian article, a number of cosmetics, especially a number sold in Europe, are formulated with collagen of human origin. This collagen is not made by genetic engineering, it is made by social engineering, specifically it is made from the skin of executed prisoners in China. Whether the manufacturers of these products know of the origin of this material is subject to question. Some, made in China by Chinese companies, not only know, but do not care. They see absolutely nothing wrong with this. Other manufacturers may or may not know of the material's origins. Cosmetics are not the only use for this material. This material is also used by cosmetic surgeons. This is not just an ethical issue, this is one of public health. There is no method to track whether these involuntary donors were screened for any of a few hundred thousand diseases that could be passed in such a manner, especially that material that is implanted and not just made into face cream.

Now, I actually do not have a particular problem with those who are to be executed donating thier organs involuntarily to save the lives of innocent people. It's the least these people can do to repay society for thier crimes. And the use of involuntarily donated skin for things like burn treatment doesn't bother me in the least. But to use this material for skin cream and to do so in a manner such that the users are unaware of the potential risks involved is unconscionable. That is like wiping your ass and then not washing your hands before going back to the kitchen and cutting up lettuce for salads. The people grazing at the salad bar have no idea that they are eating the product of your large intestine. They ASSUMED you took precautions to prevent that sort of thing.

edit: BTW, I could not remember where I found this last night when I was posting, I hate it when people use my stuff without attribution so i try not to do so myself. I want to give a hat tip to John Hawkins over at www.rightwingnews.com for finding this.

edit 12-20-05
more chinese dementedness:
Chemical Eggs
and
Hair based "soy" sauce