Transplant Ethics In Allocating Human Organs
Case Study Analysis- Transplant Ethics
The ethics of allocating organs for transplantation is a complex thing. There are some principle involved in allocation of human organs such as Utility, Justice and Respect for Persons. All these principles are conflict to each other as the number of factors that should be considered in allocation of human organs.
In the given case study, Mr. X is eligible to receive the heart as has been waiting for the transplant and on the waiting list. In any organ transplant, waiting list is one of the basic criteria that everyone should meet. However, as per the principle ‘Utility’, many factors should be considered for allocating the organ, they are age, patient survival, quality of life and availability of alternate
treatments. In case of Mr. X, even he get the transplantation done, there are less potential benefits for him in future due to his unhealthy habits such as fatty diet, smoking and being overweight and less likely to have a quality of life. The principle ‘Utility’ can be applied in case of Mr. Y as he can attain maximum benefit out of the transplant. Hence, the committee should allocate the organ to Mr. Y. as the principle ‘Utility’ (maximum good, less harm) is favoring him and it is ethical to allocate the organ to a healthier person rather than allocating to a person who is almost near to death.
Waiting list is not only the factor that should be considered when we are allocating the organ to a recipient. Other factors like clinical indicators ex: cause of organ failure, co-morbidities and psychosocial factors like patient adherence play a crucial role in allocating the organ. It is critical for an ethics committee member to balance the basic principles of ethics utility, Justice and respect for a person. After reflecting the case and analysis, being a committee member, I would vote for Mr. Y.
Organ transplantation is a scarce life-saving resource. Everyone has equal right to get the organ transplantation. In case of organ transplantation failure, he/she has right to get another transplant, what if the second transplantation is also a fail. Failure of organ transplantation may be due to poor health habits, patient non-adherence, and also the co-morbidities. The organ should be given a new recipient who has been in a waitlist. In this way the justice can be applied to the others, where everyone is fairly treated.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 17 000 people in US are currently waiting for a liver transplant. Most of the situations, where it is necessary to transplant a liver are caused by the alcoholic liver damage. It is a wide-spread view that giving transplants to alcoholics is unfair and inefficient. However, this is a big debate whether or not to give a transplant to alcoholic. If an alcoholic gets a transplant, he may again resume the drinking as he is an addict to alcohol eventually leads to cirrhosis. There's a dire scarcity of livers, unlike most medical treatments. When people who aren't responsible for the destruction of their livers will die without a transplant, it's fair to rank alcoholics lower on the priority list, though perhaps not to exclude them completely.
There are some other factors that are considered in allocating the transplant when two people are eligible. Age is the main factor that is to be considered if the committee is in dilemma, the younger one has more chances to get the transplant as he may have potential benefits due to less co-morbidity. Medical urgency is another factor to be considered, the one who has less need to get the transplant immediately, can be put on medications to provide the required care. The principle Utility should be considered in allocating the organs, and need to analyze the condition of the patient who has the more chances of success rates and more likely to have a quality of life.
Conclusion:
Utility, Justice, and respect for persons are 3 basic ethical principles that are essential to make a key decisions about the allocation of organs for transplant. All these 3 principles are need to be balanced. In organ transplant allocation policies many factors plays a crucial role in order to provide a consistent care to patients.
The ethics of allocating organs for transplantation is a complex thing. There are some principle involved in allocation of human organs such as Utility, Justice and Respect for Persons. All these principles are conflict to each other as the number of factors that should be considered in allocation of human organs.
In the given case study, Mr. X is eligible to receive the heart as has been waiting for the transplant and on the waiting list. In any organ transplant, waiting list is one of the basic criteria that everyone should meet. However, as per the principle ‘Utility’, many factors should be considered for allocating the organ, they are age, patient survival, quality of life and availability of alternate
treatments. In case of Mr. X, even he get the transplantation done, there are less potential benefits for him in future due to his unhealthy habits such as fatty diet, smoking and being overweight and less likely to have a quality of life. The principle ‘Utility’ can be applied in case of Mr. Y as he can attain maximum benefit out of the transplant. Hence, the committee should allocate the organ to Mr. Y. as the principle ‘Utility’ (maximum good, less harm) is favoring him and it is ethical to allocate the organ to a healthier person rather than allocating to a person who is almost near to death.
Waiting list is not only the factor that should be considered when we are allocating the organ to a recipient. Other factors like clinical indicators ex: cause of organ failure, co-morbidities and psychosocial factors like patient adherence play a crucial role in allocating the organ. It is critical for an ethics committee member to balance the basic principles of ethics utility, Justice and respect for a person. After reflecting the case and analysis, being a committee member, I would vote for Mr. Y.
Organ transplantation is a scarce life-saving resource. Everyone has equal right to get the organ transplantation. In case of organ transplantation failure, he/she has right to get another transplant, what if the second transplantation is also a fail. Failure of organ transplantation may be due to poor health habits, patient non-adherence, and also the co-morbidities. The organ should be given a new recipient who has been in a waitlist. In this way the justice can be applied to the others, where everyone is fairly treated.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 17 000 people in US are currently waiting for a liver transplant. Most of the situations, where it is necessary to transplant a liver are caused by the alcoholic liver damage. It is a wide-spread view that giving transplants to alcoholics is unfair and inefficient. However, this is a big debate whether or not to give a transplant to alcoholic. If an alcoholic gets a transplant, he may again resume the drinking as he is an addict to alcohol eventually leads to cirrhosis. There's a dire scarcity of livers, unlike most medical treatments. When people who aren't responsible for the destruction of their livers will die without a transplant, it's fair to rank alcoholics lower on the priority list, though perhaps not to exclude them completely.
There are some other factors that are considered in allocating the transplant when two people are eligible. Age is the main factor that is to be considered if the committee is in dilemma, the younger one has more chances to get the transplant as he may have potential benefits due to less co-morbidity. Medical urgency is another factor to be considered, the one who has less need to get the transplant immediately, can be put on medications to provide the required care. The principle Utility should be considered in allocating the organs, and need to analyze the condition of the patient who has the more chances of success rates and more likely to have a quality of life.
Conclusion:
Utility, Justice, and respect for persons are 3 basic ethical principles that are essential to make a key decisions about the allocation of organs for transplant. All these 3 principles are need to be balanced. In organ transplant allocation policies many factors plays a crucial role in order to provide a consistent care to patients.