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Organ donation: a communitarian approach.
1George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
|June 17, 2003
Summary
To address organ shortage, a communitarian approach is proposed, focusing on changing societal moral culture to encourage organ donation. This involves public dialogue and community commitment, rather than financial incentives.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- Increasing organ shortage necessitates innovative solutions.
- Financial incentives for organ donation raise ethical concerns like commodification and injustice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and explore a communitarian approach to address the organ shortage crisis.
- To advocate for a shift in societal moral culture regarding organ donation.
Main Methods:
- Engaging the public in moral dialogue to foster a sense of community responsibility.
- Implementing community-based initiatives such as public statements and commitment registries.
- Recommending legal changes to ensure donor wishes are binding.
Main Results:
- The communitarian approach aims to cultivate a moral understanding where organ donation is viewed as a civic duty.
- This strategy requires deeper societal engagement than traditional public awareness campaigns.
Conclusions:
- A communitarian framework offers an ethical alternative to financial incentives for increasing organ donation.
- Shifting the moral culture through dialogue and community endorsement is key to addressing organ scarcity.