Case Study Analysis

Posted: September 9th, 2013

Case Study Analysis

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Case Study Analysis

            1. The main issue of concern in chapter 10, The Ethics of transplants, as the title suggests is ethic with regard to organ transplants. The role of transplants in offering people new leases to life cannot be undermined. However, there are underlying ethical dilemmas when it comes to these medical procedures. For example, when is it ethical to donate an organ? When is it obligatory to donate? Is it ever ethical to sell an organ? What are the criteria for the allocation of organs? Is it always ethical to accept an organ? What should Society pay for in the area of transplants? These questions provide principle concerns related to organ transplants. The chapter considers the ethical problems that are concerned with the donor and recipient form a patient care perspective and then the ethical problems presented in the health care profession and the entire health care system.

2. The key ethical principles and concepts discussed in this chapter include the ethics off organ donation from a patient’s perspective where discussions about the ethics of the donor as a patient, the living donor of non-renewable paired organs, the proportionality of transplants and the ethics of the recipient as a patient. The other concept discussed is the idea of transplants where the discussions about the problems with donations, the obligation to donate, and selling organs are tackled. Other ethical concepts discussed include the ethics of cadaver organ donation, ethical concerns with regard to increasing the supply of organs, ethics of the health care team, ethics of distribution and societal ethics with regard to distribution.

3. In this chapter, the authors delve into the issue of the ethicality of donations. In essence, the chapter deals with various forms of donations including various body parts that individuals usually donate, either while they are still alive or after their demise. Whether it is as simple as blood donation, or an intricate surgery to donate organs such as kidneys, heart and liver, various risks are noted (Garret et al 2009). As a result, the donor has to be informed about all the issues of the procedure, however simple it may be and then asked to give his or her permission to carry it out. In some cases, the consent by the donor may not be accurate, thereby increasing the risk for the individual. Despite the risk, it is notable that any donation is laudable as it is an act by the donor to help an individual in need.

The sale of body parts is controversial in any aspect. The main view is that the trade of organs is cruel as it quantifies the life of an individual. In the United States, for instance, various legislature has been placed to prohibit trade of organs for monetary gain. Such laws include the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 that primarily assert that the sale of organs would be prejudicial against those individuals without the financial means to obtain them. The potential for abuse of the processes of trading organs would be substantial. This would also stem out into illegal trafficking, which would be unethical, dangerous and even violent for all those involved.

The process of organ distribution and allocation is affected significantly by publicity. This is because any potential recipient of a donation needs to seek out a person to donate the organs. However, this will involve the exchange of funds with the recipient paying the donor for his or her organ (Garret et al 2009). This has spread to the media, which is not an appropriate manner in which to provide information on organ donation. In fact, an individual may lack a necessary organ simply because he or she does not have the right manner of generating publicity. Therefore, it becomes a costly affair simply to get on a donor’s list. This prejudicial aspect leaves out those who do not have the necessary financial backing. Therefore, for the allocation of organs to be truly ethical, there has to be a system that gives those who are in dire need of transplants the opportunity to get them irrespective of their financial stature. A change is needed both in the process of organ transplants and in the attitudes of all people involved.

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