Ethical Considerations for Organ Transplantation

Abstract

The breadth of transplant surgery, including the need to balance the needs of multiple patients, and the frequent confrontation with issues regarding death expose members of the transplant team to a variety of ethical concerns. Yet, despite extensive training, many transplant team members, including surgeons, still feel ill-prepared to deal with these issues. This chapter provides a framework for understanding and addressing the ethical questions that arise daily among patients and families and includes some familiar as well as newer perspectives on medical decision making. As transplant team members consider the ethical issues in organ donation, it may help to see organ donation as a voluntary act with the potential to morally elevate humankind, rather than viewing the human body as a repository of parts.