Ethical
and social issues concerning organ donation
Nowadays, science
and especially medicine, are making great progress.
Thanks
to the recent advances in the field of transplantation, some of the
diseases that couldn’t be cured, they can now be easily treated (or at
least there is hope for the sick).
But
there are several issues, mainly of ethical nature, that interfere
with this positive image of organ donation and transplantation. In
many societies, mainly those traditionalist like islamic nations, the
process of moving an organ from a deceased or living person to
another can be seen quite controversial.
On the
other hand, in most modern nations, there is very little criticism
towards this issue. Many people are willing to be donors and don’t
see anything immoral in it.
The
main moral objection, common for all those, who question organ
transplantation is that- who gets the priority.
Obviously,
there are not enough donors to meet the needs. Will people be
separated into groups based on their age, social status or wealth?
How can people decide who to save and who is to be left for dead…
In some countries this issue was fixed by establishing national
committees which ensured that there are clear guidelines in this
matter.
Another
ethical issue is the worldwide demand for the organs and the
consequences it brings. As I mentioned before, there is still small
number of donors. In rich western countries people can afford paying
for the organs. It creates "the black market" for the organs sellers.
In developing countries there are people willing to sell parts of
their body. It is caused by the poverty they live in. There are also
international gangs specializing in kidnapping “donors”.
Organized crime can develop and flourish thanks to the demand for organs.
Last
but not least, there is a problem of religion. As I said before, in some traditionalist societies transplantation can be regarded as “unclean” or against
consciousness . For example, some
muslims believe that body belongs exclusively to God and only He can
decide what to do with it. This means that the organ transplantation
is against God’s will. However, this is not the case among
Christians. All main branches of Christianiny (Catholics and
Orthodox) believe that the act of donating the organ is a “service
of life” and therefore approve it.
[more about it here]
[more about it here]
So as
we can see there are many issues that need to be examined when
talking about organ transplantation and donation. Of course, it gives
wonderful possibilities and hope for those suffering from some
incurable diseases, but we must also take a look on the ethic aspect.
And what do you think about it? Are you for or against organ donation?
Would you like to donate your organs?
And what do you think about it? Are you for or against organ donation?
Would you like to donate your organs?
sources
http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/religious_perspectives/leaflets/summary_leaflet.asp
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-organ-donation-be-compulsory
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130830073215AAOgkPr
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100406172103AA5rRuN
http://www.theweek.co.uk/health-science/35635/pros-and-cons-automatic-organ-donation
It's difficult question. I'm not against organic donation but I don't know what I would do. Maybe I would do it. In this way I can help terminally ill person. Perhaps this person would make use of good life.
ReplyDeleteI'm against kidnapping "donors" and when person get parts of their body, because has a lot of money. I think person who really need it should get it. In this situation we are only a human. Body can accept someone's part of body or reject.
It's difficult to say, but I think I'm rather for than against. I won't need my organs when I won't be alive. So, somebody could use my organs and moreover it could make him or her life both easier and deffinately longer. Undoubtedly, I'm against of donating organs to get a lot of money – it sounds a little inhumane for me.
ReplyDeleteIf I could donate my organs, I would do this. I would donate after my death if my organs will be ok for other people. I think it is hard decision for especially family. But in my opinion thank you someone can live many years with your heart or liver. Sometimes person dies unexpectedly and the closest family can't agree with him or her death. They don't want to donate organs because of losing significant person. I don't know what I will do in this situation because I' ve never been. Now it's easy to say that. But I want to do this. Beautiful film about donation is '7 souls', I recommend.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely for organ donation. Up to 9 peoples lives can be saved if organs are donated after you die. Also two people can get their sight back as cornea's can be donated. Then there is bone marrow, tissue donation. Many many people's lives can be saved. Absolutely Awesome! We have no need for our organs when we are dead, why let them either rot away and feed the insects or burn up in cremation when so much good can be done. If you never help anyone while you are alive then help 9+ people after your death. What a legacy to leave behind.
ReplyDeleteAlso what if one day you have an accident and your liver is virtually destroyed. There is no dialysis like there is with kidneys, you would die. But not if there was some good person out there who had signed the organ donor register to donate after their death - they could save your life. I think it only fair that if people are prepared to accept an organ, they should also be prepared to give when they die. Otherwise thousands of people would die each year because people were too selfish
Nothing better than transplantation. It is noticeable that human organs are so complex, we can’t replace them by artificial tissues. At least not all of them. In my opinion we should think about it very seriously and try to place ourselves in a position of sick people. What would be the best for them, for us? What can we change after our death? Can we improve someone’s life? Maciej Maziarczyk wrote exactly what I would say.
ReplyDeleteI think it`s really important subject. Organs and blood are the one of the most needed things we have and I think that everybody should be an organ donor. As Maciej said we have no need for our organs when we are dead. It can save someone`s life. For me it`s noble. I would donate all my organs except my heart. I just don`t want to.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little boy my mum was buying some herbal treatments. One time she took me to some doctor(who also was herbalist) and he examine me. After that he told that we have to wait few minutes in waiting room. After maybe 4 minutes he left his office and gave me a bottle of his handcrafted medications. It tasted awful but when I was drinking it I wasn`t sick. Also I have tried yoga but I gave up after one week. Which is better? It`s hard to say. I will heal myself by conventional medicine and support immunity by alternative.
ReplyDeleteI think that organ donations is a important matter. After we will die we won't be needing our organs, so why not saving somebody's life instead. Or when someone who is really close to us need a kidney or liver, we can help him without dent to our healh?
ReplyDeleteI don’t understand objections about it. There shouldn’t be any ethnical or social issues. The organ gets the person who is most sickest and only transplant can save him.
The black market is normal for this kind of things. There is not enough donors - demand is higher than supply. I don’t think anyone can do anything about that.
I think that my viewpoint made it clear that I am willing to donating my organs.
I am definetely agree with organ donation. I think, when I die, will I need my organs? No. But there is a lot of people, who possibly need for such possibility, they want to have a chance for living. And if I can help them, why not? After death there is nothing of you in this body, it's just a symbol of your presence on the Earth. Body was given to you and one day it doesn't belong to you anymore. And the best what you can do is to share with somebody who need it more.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, donating organs is really good idea, especially after our death, when we don't need our body corps. Of course it depends on some predispositions (if we don't have organs in good condition it's better not to donate them), but mostly it's about our decission, so why notto go sleep forever with thinking that we've done something really important. And yes, if will have to make a right decission, I would like to donate a part of me into somebody else ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm for donating organs because I think that we should share everything what God gave us and if we die we don't need our body so why don't help. I'm keeping declaration of donor in my wallet all the time. Of course it is really bad that some people sell their organs I can't imagine how "the black market" could exist.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I have nothing against organ transplants but probably as the majority, I believe that this is a difficult decision, perhaps especially for our loved ones. On the other hand, do we need our body and organs after death? It becomes quite useless and in some cases it can save lives. So why not help someone?
ReplyDeleteWe never know in what situation we will be and we also may suffer from serious disease. I think that help in these type of cases is close to our morality so we should treat it really seriously. I am for organ donations because activity directed to someone's life is so important , especially when we don't lose anything. After death our body decomposes so I think that it is worth to sacrifice a part of ourselves to rescue somebody's life. I don't see any obstacles to donate my organs, of course when I will be absolutely healthy.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, everyone should have signed the so-called declaration of intent. It is consent to being an organ donor after our death. I wear such consent in the wallet, because I think that I don’t pay any money for it but thanks to it I can save someone life and make it happier. I think it's a great opportunity to help someone but also to mark our presence in this world.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in the case of organ donation for transplantation any public opposition is not in place. Your organs may save someone's life, and when you're dead you don`t need it.
ReplyDeleteI don't see anything bad in organ donation, it can save someone's life.. You don't need them when you are dead and for someone it can be really helpful. I think I could donate my organs after my death but I'm not sure if I'm going to do this
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say,but I think that after dead we do not need any organ,so we could give it someone who deserve it more.It essential to help other people in need.Donation is one of ways to make other people's life better.We do not need to have bilions of dollars to be helpful.After consideration,I think that I would like to be a organ donor.
ReplyDeleteI think that it very important to donate our organs. It isn't bad for us after our dead but it could help someone life. It's a the bigest gift we can offer someone other. We show how important is helping in modern society. Who knows maybe someone from your family need transplation in future.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that I wont donate my organs.
I think it is really difficult topic for every person. I think I would like to donate my organs but I don't know what my mum think about it. I think that it can help a lot of people when they has an a iccident. It give possibility to save someone's life.
ReplyDeleteI think ethical speculation are fascinating thing, however we should viewed this case as pragmatic perspective. I have nothing against voluntary organ donation and my organs can be removed after I expire. But I don't feel obligated to do such noble act for a random human being while I'm still living.
ReplyDeleteAs everybody said it's really hard question and it depends on person. I really admire people who decide to donate organs. And frankly, I'm not that person. I think that I would like to die and be bury with all my things inside. I know it's really egoistical, but unfortunetly thats what I feel. Of course I'm not against, I think that it really beautiful gesture. and friend of mine decided to sign a card, which is saying that after my death you can take my organs. because when you are dead its useless for you, and it change give somebody a "new" life.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard question, I don't think that i would donate my organs, not because of my religion or something like that, it's very wierd for me that someone could have my heart or kidney. I could donate my bloode or my marrow. In general I am for donating organ, if someone won't donte his organ it's fine for me.
ReplyDeleteI do not see any argument against organ donation especially ethical.It is unethical not to save someone's life, while being able to do that. I'm really for!
ReplyDeleteI would like to donate my organs. I have a special donor card in your wallet, and in case of death I want all my organs to be available for transplantation.
Now I'm trying to help others by doing stuff like donating blood and bone marrow. : )
I do not see any argument against organ donation especially ethical.It is unethical not to save someone's life, while being able to do that. I'm really for!
ReplyDeleteI would like to donate my organs. I have a special donor card in your wallet, and in case of death I want all my organs to be available for transplantation.
Now I'm trying to help others by doing stuff like donating blood and bone marrow. : )
Well, I would never have any problem with donating my organs to someone in need - at least technically. Whether or not God gave me my body , it belongs to me now. My flesh constitutes my life but it is soul what I owe to God ( supposing he exists).
ReplyDeleteTherefore I'm for organ donation - as long as it doesn't mean taking adventage of other innocent people. The only dilemma of the whole process is definitely the choice of person to be saved.Undoubtly there are people who deserve it more n others - but it will always be a hard decision, after all you significantly influence someone's life.
To give it a positive tenor - it's much better to rescue one existence than stand by claiming inability to help.
I'm totally for organ donation. That would be a wonderful thing to give other people a chance to live longer, normal, happy life after I die, I see it as passing life from me to someone else who would die without transplant. I'm not so much attached to my body to think that it's better for me to have my body buried with everything in it when I'm dead. That's my approach: I just won't care about my body when I'm dead so why shouldn't I agree for giving my organs for people in need? It's even more beautiful after finding out that your organs and tissues can save lives of 9 or more people (so thank you Maciej for sharing this information!). But there is a dark side of organ donation and we should be aware of it. As it was said, the black market, organised crime, stealing and selling organs from people who never agreed to donate exists. The religious and ethical aspects of organ donation should be discussed and respected. In my opinion the only ethical way is to use organs from a person who consciously agreed to donate and to give it to a person who needs it the most.
ReplyDeleteI'm the author of the article and I must tell you it was really amazing looking for information about it! I see I agree with most of you especially with Maciej (your comment is so enthusiastic!). The main reason why I'm for organ donation is the fact of saving somebody's life. And, of course, I don't think I will need my organs any more after my dead.
ReplyDeleteI am for organ donation I think that we need to understand that someday we might be in the situation when the only thing that could help us is transplantation. That is why I have already signed the declaration to donate my organs after I die. I think it will also help my family because they won't have to decide while grieving. I understand that that would be difficult for them. Why not help other people while we can? I won't need my organs anymore and I would be pleased to know that they saved somebody's life.
ReplyDeleteI think just few people realize that their decision could help someone and save their live. I think for all people it is hard decision because it is not natural. When I think about this I can say that I could give my organ after my death. It could save someone’s life. Many sick people are waiting for organs and want to live. If I could donate my organs I am going to do this.
ReplyDeleteI’m absolutely for. I’m agree with phrase „service of life” because there are many people who decide to give their organs after their deaths but there are also people who gave their organs (and not only one of their two kidney) which was equivalent to their death. That kind of sacrifice shows how one person can love other.
ReplyDeleteTo respond to third question (Would you like to donate your organs?) I may answer in that way – I don’t see any contraindications to give my organs before my death – if it would help to somebody – great. In the other hand I think that NO ONE knows his behavior if someone very dear will need organ. No one can answer this question before such a terrible situation comes.