Organ procurement and transplantation

The path of successful organ transplants has been sown with considerable ethical, legal, social, and moral dilemmas. Some of these dilemmas have been addressed to the public's satisfaction, but many questions are left to be answered. The possibility of prolonging a life through high-technology medicine such as transplantation and through the use of drugs, treatment, and mechanical devices has become an everyday occurrence. However, the need for organs and tissues has created an environment in which hard choices must be made. We must all be involved in the decision-making process, as these are social issues that are presently faced by acquaintances, our friends, and perhaps by our own families. We as individuals must examine our own values as clearly as we examine those of the caregivers, policy makers, social scientists, and ethicists who influence the direction of medical care. We must be ready to ask the important and necessary questions that will guide and enable us to do "the right thing."