[Organ trade versus reciprocity model. An ethical evaluation]

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Transplantation Medicine
• Public Health Policy

Context:

• Growing organ transplant waiting lists necessitate innovative solutions.
• Current organ allocation systems face challenges in meeting demand.
• Ethical frameworks are crucial for evaluating new organ procurement strategies.

Purpose:

• To ethically evaluate two proposed models for addressing organ shortages: legalizing organ trade versus the Reciprocy Model.
• To compare the ethical acceptability of organ trade against the Reciprocity Model.
• To assess the compatibility of the Reciprocity Model with existing organ allocation frameworks.

Summary:

• An ethical analysis was conducted on organ trade legalization and the Reciprocity Model, using respect for individuals as the ethical standard.
• The Reciprocity Model was found to be significantly more ethically acceptable than even a regulated organ trade.
• The Reciprocity Model demonstrates practical integration potential within the Eurotransplant system.

Impact:

• Provides an ethical framework for policy decisions regarding organ procurement.
• Suggests the Reciprocity Model as a more ethically sound alternative to organ markets.
• Offers a viable solution for enhancing organ availability within established European transplant networks.