Organ Donation Ethics Essay

1295 Words6 Pages

The existing demand for human organs available for transplantation far exceeds the available supply. There is currently a substantial increase in the number of patients on the transplant waiting list as well as in the number of patients that perish as a result of the inability to receive a necessary transplantation. The current levels of organ transplantation in the United States are not sustainable and alternative options towards ameliorating the current shortage of organ donors are desperately needed although many ethical concerns could be generated. Solutions towards the improvement in organ availability such as the use of live organ donors, foreign transplantations, financial incentives, and improvements towards recruitment methods will …show more content…

Individuals could argue that organ donation may contravene some religious teachings and thus pose a detrimental threat, however, all of the world’s major religions view organ donation as either an act of charity or a decision to be determined by the individual or family (“Religion and Organ Donation”). Religion is one factor that has repeatedly shown up in research and it has been noted that “some research has shown that Catholics are less likely to donate than other religious groups.” (Wen 12). This may be due to a belief in the afterlife and the perceived importance of body integrity (Wen 12). Even as all of the major religious teachings condone organ donation, many individuals are still continually hesitant towards the donation of their …show more content…

The available supply of transplantable organs in the United States is insufficient in supplying the current demand. Alternative options towards the restricted use of organs specifically from neurologically deceased individuals are the use of live organ donors, foreign transplantations, and financial incentives. These alternative options raise many bioethical concerns such as the ethicality of recruitment methods and the immense risk of post-surgery complications. The shortage in organs donors will be amended with the use of these solutions regardless of the ethical concerns that they will