Discussion: Ethics in Organ Transplant – Answered

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Discussion: Ethics in Organ Transplant – Answered

1) Does a person in need of an organ transplant have a moral right to obtain that transplant, supposing the availability of the needed organ?2) How should we choose who gets a transplant, supposing that there are not enough organs for all who need them?3) Please cite the textbook and any other source used in APA format (Discussion: Ethics in Organ Transplant – Answered).

Answer

Moral Right to Organ Transplant and Allocation

Moral Right to Organ Transplant

The question of whether a person has a moral right to obtain an organ transplant, assuming the organ is available, is complex and touches on ethical principles of justice and equity. On one hand, some argue that if an organ is available, there is a moral imperative to use it to save a life, as every individual has an inherent right to health and well-being (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019). This perspective suggests that if medical resources are available, they should be allocated to those in need to fulfill the basic ethical duty of preserving life.

Choosing Who Gets a Transplant

When there are not enough organs to meet all demands, the allocation process becomes crucial. Several ethical principles guide this process, including utility, fairness, and justice. Utilitarian principles advocate for prioritizing those who would benefit the most, such as patients with the greatest likelihood of success from the transplant and those who have the highest potential for a quality life post-transplant (Friedman & Tinetti, 2022). Fairness and justice principles emphasize non-discrimination and equal consideration of all candidates, often leading to the use of criteria such as medical urgency, compatibility, and waiting time. (Discussion: Ethics in Organ Transplant – Answered)

To balance these principles, transplant allocation systems often employ a combination of medical and ethical criteria. For instance, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in the United States uses a scoring system to prioritize candidates based on medical need, likelihood of success, and other factors (UNOS, 2023). This approach aims to ensure that the allocation of organs is both equitable and effective, addressing the scarcity of resources while adhering to ethical guidelines.

References

  • Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • Friedman, S. M., & Tinetti, M. E. (2022). Ethics of organ allocation. In Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine (pp. 150-165). Springer.
  • UNOS. (2023). Organ procurement and transplantation network: Policies. United Network for Organ Sharing. https://unos.org/policies/
 
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