Abstract The purpose of this essay will be to determine what ethical basis, if any, exists for the practice of organdonation. What is the ethical justification for these processes of consent? Part of the answer to this question lies in the manner in which we view the communities in which we live; a view which also entails a concept of justice and sense of moral obligation.
Abstract This paper discusses the effect that race has on consent for organdonations. The paper looks at the problem of shortages of organdonors for transplants as well as the various approaches for increasing organdonations. The paper contends that no significant correlation exists between race of the requester and the potential donor and the number of organdonor consents.
From the Paper "The following research paper explores the effects of race on organ donation Specifically, the research objective is to determine if there is a relationship between organ donor consent rates and the matching of race requester to race of potential donor families. Pearson's correlation was used to demonstrate significant relationships. It was expected that there would be a significant relationship between the variables, however the study findings did not support the study hypothesis that there is a significant correlation between..."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the necessity of organdonation. The paper discusses the value of the gift that the organdonor gives to the donor recipient. The paper goes on to discuss the importance of college students signing up for organdonation.
From the Paper "While many people think that a person can only donate organs after they die, this is not true. In 2002, one-fourth of all transplants performed in the United States were with organs donated by a living person (Gift of Life Trust Fund, 2006). A person has the ability to donate one kidney and live a normal life with the remaining healthy kidney. Also, in some situations, a portion of a liver, lung or pancreas may be donated. Blood, bone and bone marrow may also be donated by a living person. Just one pint of blood can help save four individual lives."
Tags:organ, bank, tissue, bone, marrow, blood, liver, lung, pancreas
Abstract This paper reviews the pros and cons of paying for organs for transplantation. The paper begins by exploring the lack of available organs and the circumstances that would drive someone to attempt to buy an organ. The paper then defines the current anonymous donation system as one based exclusively on altruism, and asks what the legal, medical and ethical concerns are of such a system. The paper then discusses the gap between supply and demand for organs. Finally, the paper offers a number of problems -- ethical and otherwise -- in offering financial incentive for organdonation.
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that a solution proposed to the organdonor shortage is the commercialization of human body parts, and that this is a solution well worth investigation. The writer notes that in this increasingly commercial world it should come as no surprise that individuals are willing to pay for organ transplants. In fact, individuals do pay for organ transplants on a regular basis, but they do so in a manner that is currently against the law and frequently very dangerous. The writer discusses that through putting law and regulation in place individuals could receive organ transplants without leaving their own country, and donors from within the same country could receive monetary compensation for their organdonation, as well as proper medical after care. The writer concludes that if commercialized organdonation is what it will take to save lives and to prevent the exploitation of the less fortunate who are coerced into illegal and unsafe organdonation, then it should be considered a very viable solution.
From the Paper "Due to the organ crisis, there is a rampant black market for organs, especially kidneys, that sees individuals in deprived, often third-world countries selling their organs to rich Westerners. There are a number of serious and medically dangerous issues associated with this growing trend, not least of which is the unsatisfactory care provided to the donors. Individuals who donate their organs usually do so for very small amounts of money and receive substandard health care following their donation. The doctors who perform these illicit operations are the ones who benefit financially, while the individual who purchased the organ usually survives much longer, but still may not receive the best after-care due to the illegal nature of the operation. The donors often experience a decrease in livelihood and standard of living as they develop medical conditions that prevent them from participating in the manual labour force that is usually the only available employment. Regardless of restrictions and laws against these black market transactions, they continue, and will continue, and almost understandably. Being faced with a life threatening condition and having the means to remedy the situation through the wielding of power and money would be an opportunity not easily turned down by many individuals."
Abstract This paper reviews the current state of organdonation and transplantation. The paper focuses on the use of the Internet to donate or procure an organ for transplantation and discusses the potential repercussions of using the Internet to solicit organdonation. The paper specifically focuses on the ethical considerations associated with procuring organs via the Internet.
Table of Contents:
Current State of Organ Transplantation
Use of Internet for OrganDonation Ethical Issues of Internet Solicitation
Conclusion
From the Paper "A Colorado hospital after discovering that a scheduled transplant was the result of communication via the Internet, took the position that they would not perform any transplant that was established through commercial Internet sites until a public statement on the issue was made by a professional organization (OrganDonor.Gov, 2006). One viewpoint expressed by Wright and Campbell (2006), is that online recipients are fortunate to have found someone to donate an organ to them and this in no way affects those recipients on a waiting list that are sicker than the person receiving the organ. In fact, it actually helps the people behind them in the list as the recipient has been removed from the waiting list (Wright and Campbell)."
Abstract This paper looks at organdonation from the point of view of what is just for the donor and beneficial to the recipient. The paper relates that it was suggested that organdonations should somehow be connected with self-interest because altruism alone is failing to meet the demand for organs. The paper also relates that compensation for organdonations has been suggested but there are ethical considerations concerned with such compensation. These ethical concerns are then discussed and the paper concludes that it is important that the public is kept informed about the ethical issues, and shall be offered an opportunity to communicate their concerns.
From the Paper "However, the availability of the cadaveric donors is expected to reduce the conditions which have caused surge in the living donations. The organ procurement system is based upon the presence of altruism, however the motivational programs which were initiated for the purpose of organ donation were not successful, therefore "altruism is a fine thing but it is in short supply", therefore it has been suggested that "we may hope for love but should plan on self-interest." It has been recommended that incentives scheme shall be launched to motivate the individuals towards donation."
Tags: cadaveric self-interest, financial compensation, moral intuitions, brain death
Abstract Organdonation is removing specific tissues of the human body for transplanting or grafting into another person. Both cadavers and living persons can be donors, but both also have to fulfill certain criterion in order to eligibly donate. This paper examines how bioethics, politics and personal issues have arisen in concern of organdonation.
From the Paper "There is a waiting list for legal organs to be donated but for indeterminate lengths of time. The fear of literally dying while still waiting to be a recipient has pushed people to deal with the black market. The "black market organ donation" relies upon the ends justifying the means. This is discussed in teleological and utilitarian issues. Concern also focused on the imbalance of the trade because the market is for only those who can afford, therefore only gives chance for the well-off. The black market has been referred to as the transplant trade outside of the United States. Legalization of the international organ trade would lead to increased supply, lowering prices. Therefore the poor might be able to afford such organs as well."
Abstract The paper discusses why organdonation is not more popular and gives suggestions on solving the scarcity of donors by better use of education.
From the Paper "In America, we have the choice to donate organs and save other lives. In countries like China, that choice is not permitted. Traditional beliefs say the body must be kept whole after death. What results is a vast network of crime, where the organs of executed prisoners are harvested and transplanted into wealthy patients in operations that bring Chinese hospitals tens of millions of dollars a year. Executed prisoners are the only source for transplants, and the demand is so great that occasionally the organs are removed before the patient is dead."
Abstract The paper examines what constitutes brain death and the rare possibility that a brain dead patient may awaken from this vegetative state. The paper looks at the controversy surrounding the issue both from the side of the family as well as from the side of the hospital staff.
It also touches on the rates of organdonation in different countries as well as the ethical rules governing the transplantation process.
From the Paper "It is ethical to procure organs for donation and transplant from brain dead patients because the criteria is so stringent to declare someone brain dead that it cannot be construed as unethical(Donation, 2001). When a person is declared brain dead they have performed certain required criteria to make that determination. It is ethical to use the organs of a brain dead person because they are only alive by machines, they are not really alive. The use of these organs has the potential to save thousands of lives each year."
Abstract The paper looks at the beliefs of various cultural groups and argues that culture and religion work together to influence people's decisions about organdonation. The paper points out how, in most cases, it is difficult to tell the difference between the impacts of cultural versus religious beliefs. The paper focuses on the misunderstandings about organ transplantation among the Asians of Great Britain and why Blacks are against organ transplants.
From the Paper "To people with organ failure anywhere in the world, organ transplants are known as gifts of life and gifts of love. It is a separate matter altogether that all patients will not receive organ donations in times of need. This could be due to cultural restraints, religious beliefs, or a shortage of donor organs. While certain groups of people would not permit themselves to become the selfless donors of organs during their lifetimes or upon death, there are others that do not allow themselves to use donated organs because of individual beliefs, regardless of whether we consider these puritanical or not. Financial considerations are undoubtedly also a factor, in the poorer parts of the world organs are sold by the poor and bought by the rich, as one would buy a new house, car, or television. The relatively new practice of human organ donation is by no means universal, with vast differences in application influenced by regional and individual cultural factors."
Abstract This paper outlines the current method of allocating needed organs and also outlines the way that it should be changed to as agreed by doctors across the world to make the process more effective. The author cites numerous examples.
From the Paper "On November 8, 2000, seventeen-year-old Leah Therese Loeffler of Middletown, Maryland met her fate. She died from injuries sustained in a brutal car accident just the day before. Though her death was tragic and untimely, life sprang from the remains of her petite, damaged body. Leah's uninjured organs were harvested and allocated to individuals in desperate need of a second chance. Her death is responsible for sustaining the lives of several individuals. Leah was their second chance, which makes it evident that the importance of one organ is so monumental that it should not matter whether the person lives across the country or right next door to the donor. Something must be done to decrease the amount of deaths related to poor allocation of one of the nations most valuable and most scarce resource: human organs. The issue at hand is the discrepancies in the organ allocation process by which a committee chooses what organs go where and to whom. The determining factor on who is next to receive an organ should be simply who needs it the most. The needs of critically ill patients should be taken into primary consideration when determining who gets a second chance."
Abstract This paper examines how the need for organs for transplantation and scientific study is constantly increasing. It also describes why it is important to explore the negative effects of the shortage of organs and how people can be persuaded to donate their organs after death. It looks at how although the percentage of potential organdonors is rising annually, new transplant procedures are widening the gap in supply and demand of organs. It evaluates how the shortage of organs can be decreased, however, if those willing to become organdonors discuss their wishes with their next of kin.
From the Paper "The process of organ donation mainly starts at the hospital when a potential organ donor is identified. The only patients considered for organ donation are those which are pronounced brain dead. Brain death is defined as ?the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem (unknown).? Brain death can occur from causes such as brain hemorrhage, asphyxiation, drowning or motor vehicle accidents, which were responsible for the deaths of 25 percent of organ donors during 1994 and 1995. In extremely rare cases, however, organs can be transplanted from donors known as non-heartbeating, in which death must be declared by traditional criteria concerning cardiac death (unknown)."
Tags: transplantation, scientific, study, death, kin
Abstract Deciding to be an organ or tissue donor can potentially help several other people through life-saving transplants and tissue grafts. In the United States, organ transplants save about 63 people each day, but another 17 people on the waiting list die because not enough organs are available. This paper provides a review and discussion of the relevant literature, a personal assessment of the practice, followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.
From the Paper "While many Americans report being in favor of organ donation, there are some powerful cultural and religious issues that affect organ donorship. For example, until 1982 organ donation after death was not permissible in Islamic nations. However, the highest religious authority on such matters in Saudi Arabia (and therefore throughout the Islamic world) changed this in 1982, but the tales and legends that are naturally inculcated in childhood continue, however, to influence public attitudes in most Islamic nations. For instance, the widely told story of how the Prophet's uncle Samzah was murdered by the heathen Hind, who then opened the murdered man's belly and chewed up his liver, has slowed public acceptance of liver transplantation. "
Abstract This paper compares the benefits of tissue donation versus organdonation. It explains that transplanted tissues offer advantages, including the alleviation of trauma and assisting individuals to see again, while also acting as a life-saving gesture. The writer discusses how tissue transplantation is more prevalent than organ transplantation because tissues can be conveniently conserved. They can be covered with ice and kept for use later on, since they need less blood supply than organs.
From the Paper "Donated body organs like hearts and kidneys contribute to the saving of hundreds of lives each year. The fact is that bequeathed tissues like skin, bone and heart valves could remarkably enhance the value of life for the persons receiving them. A patient who is dead following a cardiac arrest i.e. whose heartbeat has stopped permanently cannot be an organ donor but can be a tissue donor. Though in case of tissue donation the urgency of restoring a life by donation of liver or heart is absent, yet it is no way less critical to bring back vision by the help of a donated cornea, avert the severing of a leg using a bone donated by somebody or brighten the odds of survival of a patient having sustained burn injuries by skin donation."
