Ethical issues regarding related and nonrelated living organ donors. 2014

Giuliano Testa
Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 3410 Worth Street, Suite 950, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA, Giuliano.Testa@BaylorHealth.edu.

The ethics of the clinical practice of transplanting human organs for end-stage organ disease is a fascinating topic. Who is the "owner" of the transplantable organs of a deceased, brain-dead patient? Who should have a right to receive these organs? Who set the boundaries between a living donor's autonomy and a "paternalistic" doctor? What constitutes a proper consent? These questions are only some of the ethical issues that have been discussed in the last 60 years. All of these ethical issues are intensified by the fact that supply of human organs does not match demand, and that, as a consequence, living-donor organ transplantation is widely utilized. The aim of this article is not to be exhaustive but to present the general ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice as applied to organ transplantation. Moreover, the topic of reimbursement for organ donation is also discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007258 Informed Consent Voluntary authorization, by a patient or research subject, with full comprehension of the risks involved, for diagnostic or investigative procedures, and for medical and surgical treatment. Consent, Informed
D009042 Motivation Those factors which cause an organism to behave or act in either a goal-seeking or satisfying manner. They may be influenced by physiological drives or by external stimuli. Incentives,Disincentives,Expectations,Disincentive,Expectation,Incentive,Motivations
D009927 Tissue and Organ Procurement The administrative procedures involved with acquiring TISSUES or organs for TRANSPLANTATION through various programs, systems, or organizations. These procedures include obtaining consent from TISSUE DONORS and arranging for transportation of donated tissues and organs, after TISSUE HARVESTING, to HOSPITALS for processing and transplantation. Organ Procurement,Organ Procurement Systems,Organ Shortage,Tissue Procurement,Tissue Shortage,Donor Cards,Organ Donation,Required Organ Donation Request,Required Request,Tissue Donation,Donor Card,Organ Donations,Organ Procurement System,Organ Procurements,Required Requests,Shortage, Tissue,Tissue Donations,Tissue Procurements,Tissue Shortages
D010820 Physicians Individuals licensed to practice medicine. Physician
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012306 Risk The probability that an event will occur. It encompasses a variety of measures of the probability of a generally unfavorable outcome. Relative Risk,Relative Risks,Risk, Relative,Risks,Risks, Relative
D012935 Social Justice An interactive process whereby members of a community are concerned for the equality and rights of all. Food Justice,Common Good,Justice,Obligations of Society,Good, Common,Justice, Food,Justice, Social
D016377 Organ Transplantation Transference of an organ between individuals of the same species or between individuals of different species. Grafting, Organ,Transplantation, Organ,Graftings, Organ,Organ Grafting,Organ Graftings,Organ Transplantations,Transplantations, Organ
D061214 Patient Safety Efforts to reduce risk, to address and reduce incidents and accidents that may negatively impact healthcare consumers. Patient Safeties,Safeties, Patient,Safety, Patient
D061349 Unrelated Donors Providers of tissues for transplant to non-related individuals. Donors, Unrelated,Donor, Unrelated,Unrelated Donor

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