Organ Allocation Policies According to EU National Bioethics Committees: A Comparison

The opinions expressed by European National Bioethics Committees (NBCs) on organ transplants were examined. Very few opinions specifically addressed the issue of allocation, and those that did revealed not only conflicts between clinical criteria and ethical principles but also potential competition between ethical principles that are equally important and deserving of respect. An examination of the various opinions showed agreement on the need to balance conflicting criteria and principles, as well as the diversity of the available practical options. Although NBCs agree that the choice of allocation policies should focus on therapeutic criteria while also considering other parameters, such as justice, clinical usefulness, and waiting period, the relative weights to be attributed to each vary among committees.