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Ethical issues with organ transplantation
Ethical issues with organ transplantation
Ethical issues with organ transplantation
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In the essay, “Organ Sales Will Saves Lives” Joanna MacKay elaborates that kidney failure is a major problem that has a possible, not so complex solution. Mackay believes that this issue could possibly be resolved if the legalization of organ sales were to be possible. In fact, her main argument throughout the essay is that government officials should not waste lives, but rather help save them by legalizing this process. Furthermore, she explains the dangers of the black market and how authorizing organ sales would benefit all parties involved. Overall, MacKay thoroughly claims that organ sales would ensure greatness for the recipient but also for the buyer; most importantly, she believed it would give someone a chance to continue living
The text serves the people that need kidney transplants and the ones who are willing to donate kidneys. Schulman’s approaches this essay in a unique way. She catches the reader’s attention by giving email samples sent to Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. They published an article “Kidneys for Sale” in 1988 addressing the ethical issues raised by the potential for a market in human body parts.
The story, “Kidneys for Sale: A Reconsideration” opinion favors both sides of the argument. Miriam Schulman creates a well-balanced stance on how she feels about the selling of organs. The article was first published in 1988 by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Ten years later
According to MacKay’s research, in the year 2000, “2,583 Americans died while waiting for a kidney transplant” (120) and according to Matas, “over 6% of waiting candidates die annually” (2007). "With over 60,000 people in line in the United States alone, the average wait for a cadaverous kidney is ten long years" (120). As the reader can see, MacKay is very credible with stating factual statistics in regards to the urgent need of kidney donations and she has Matas to back her up with similar statistics. These statistics show the reader that MacKay’s argument is a strong
She discusses the case of Carl, a man who died while awaiting a kidney transplant. She describes how his family was left to mourn his death (Satel, 2001). By sharing these stories, Satel instills in her readers a sense of sadness and urgency, compelling them to consider the human cost of the organ shortage. Satel appeals to the emotions of her audience and makes a compelling case for legalizing organ sales by humanizing the issue and presenting the real-life consequences of the organ shortage. In her article "Organs for Sale," Sally Satel appeals to readers' emotions to emphasize the human cost of the organ shortage and the urgent need for a solution.
In Joanna MacKay's article, 'Organ Selling Will Save Lives", sides with the legalization of organ selling, due to her main focus she emphasizes on kidney failure. In ignorance of government, patients all over the globe are dying on the wait for a kidney transplant. She presents her ideas that government should not prohibit the sale of organs. She writes "lives shouldn’t be wasted they should be saved". Her thesis is understandable and she supports it with good reasons.
During the previous decades, society’s behavior with regard to organ donation remains reluctant. A survey showed that although people plainly accept to offer their organs for transplantation, when a person dies, his or her relatives often refuse donation. To be able
1. The ethical issues and concerns raised by this case are; The first ethical issue was killing the baboon to proceed with the transplant. The second concern raised was having angered animal’s rights activists.
In 2017, 510 people deceased donors donated their organs, saving over 1,400 people, and giving them the gift of organ donation. In 2017. ‘The most important thing that helps a family's decision is their knowing the donation decision of their loved one' (Donate Life, 2017) only 60% of Australians discuss their wishes for organ donation with their family, meaning the other 40% of Australian families are more than likely to decline organ donation, this is one of the biggest barriers for Australian organ donation. Also, during a conducted survey between the year 12 health class and other students, within figure 1, it can be shown that only 13.4% of people were registered to become an organ donor in Australia, compared to Australia's 76% (Transplant Australia, 2016). Furthermore, 40% of Australians don’t know if their religion supports organ and tissue donation, and 20% of families that declined donation in 2014 did so out of religious or cultural concerns, this amount is huge, if people who were educated in whether or not their religion accepts organ donation, a whole 20% of families would allow their loved one to proceed with organ and tissue transplantation, this barrier is one of the largest ones to date.
In reality, the practical application of a centralized, regulatory structure for the purchase and sale of organs would result in a fragmented marketplace at best. The failures of the trade of exotic animals would be an analogy. The trade may result in wasted or damaged organs--the profiteers would care more about maximizing income than the wellbeing of participants. Organs are perishable and notoriously difficult to handle and transport, enhancing the difficulty of regulating the purchase and sale of them.
In the United States alone, 19 people die every day waiting on an organ transplant that could have saved their lives. The only solution to this problem is getting more drivers registered as organ donors. It has been proposed that the states automatically register their drivers as donors and it is up to the drivers to go through the procedure of opting out if that is what they wish. I agree with this proposal because you still have the freedom to make your choice but most people would not want to go through the process of opting out, so the number of organ donors would be greatly increased.
After the procedure done of kidney transplantation in 1954, people started to question whether if it is truly ethical to harvest the organ of a healthy human being and taking the risk of worsting donor’s health in order to extend the life of the patients with organ failures. Surgeon Murray believes that “For the first time, in medical history, a normal healthy person was to be subjected to a major surgical operation not for his own benefit” (Interview with Murray). Medical procedures were meant to make people healthier and save more lives, but through the practice of organ transitions, the donors had to undergo procedures that are not beneficial for them and could potentially die from, which is exactly the opposite of the purpose for medical procedures. When the reality of transplantation semi-violated the purpose of medical practices, people in the nation holds different opinion on the issues and conflicts arose. The question then became that if one could take away the life of one healthy human and give out all his/her organs to six or seven people and save all their lives, is it beneficial to the society overall to just sacrifice the life of one for the recovery of the six or seven, is that morally wrong?
There are nearly 100,000 people waiting patiently on organ transplant waiting lists, but sadly, on an average day, less than 80 people receive donor organs and approximately 19 die waiting for transplants. Even with
Who is anyone to take the right of life from someone, just because you are being selfish and have no beneficial use for your organs, when someone is dying because they need an organ of yours? I have to agree, that if organ donations did become legal, it would change the underlying meaning of organ donations, it wouldn’t be because you truly want to help people. But even if you don’t have a choice, you would still be saving someone’s life, which is heroic. We should have compassion for people, because we never know if that could be us one
However, donation involves asking ethical questions because the treatment affects not only the people in need of transplants but also the individuals who donate. The main reason why people may consider donating organs is because of the very great benefit that this can bring to others. On the other hand, some find the idea of organ donation too invasive. Those people believe that it is wrong to take organs from people. The decision to or not to donate is a moral decision.
