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Do the sick have a right to cadaveric organs?

W Glannon1

  • 1Centre for Applied Ethics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2. wglannon@ethics.ubc.ca

Journal of Medical Ethics
|June 11, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Granting a right to cadaveric organs for the sick is morally unjustifiable due to violations of individual autonomy. A consensual model offers a morally sound alternative for increasing organ donation.

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Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Transplantation Ethics
  • Medical Law

Background:

  • Organ transplantation is a critical medical intervention facing significant donor shortages.
  • Existing organ donation systems grapple with ethical and logistical challenges in meeting demand.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the moral justification of a policy granting a right to cadaveric organs for transplantation.
  • To explore alternative ethical frameworks for addressing organ scarcity in the context of transplantation.

Main Methods:

  • Ethical analysis of a proposed rights-based, non-consensual organ retrieval policy.
  • Comparative assessment of a non-consensual model versus a communitarian-based consensual model.

Main Results:

  • A policy granting a right to cadaveric organs, even if medically desirable, is morally unjustifiable.
  • Such a policy infringes upon individual autonomy and the bodily integrity of the deceased.
  • A communitarian-based consensual model presents a morally justifiable approach to organ scarcity.

Conclusions:

  • Policies mandating organ retrieval without prior consent violate fundamental ethical principles.
  • Ethical organ donation strategies must prioritize individual autonomy and consent.
  • Community-centered, consent-based models are essential for sustainable and morally sound organ transplantation programs.
Keywords:
Health Care and Public Health

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