Organ Donation

Mandy Florez

Moral Reasoning

Organ Donation

Introduction

Many people today have mixed feelings about organ donation. The decision to donate is an ethical decision that concerns two different aspects. One is whether or not to donate one’s own organs. Two is whether or not to donate the organs of a relative. A person needs to think through these issues well before the decision needs to be made. It is also important to make sure you respect everyone’s beliefs like cultural, ethical, spiritual, and religious views. You also need to understand what actually happens to your organs once they are donated. You can also look at organ donation as a moral obligation. Do unto others as you would want done to you. If you were in need or an organ would you feel the same way? You need to apply the Golden Rule not only to others, but also to yourself. How would you feel if you were in need of a donation and one was not available to you?

Why think about the ethics of donation?

The decision whether of not to donate organs is an ethical decision. The decision that is made shows your view about it. A person has the right to make a free choice that is equal to their ethical beliefs. The problem with ethical beliefs is that there is not one correct belief system. The ethical decision to donate or not varies to each individual. The decision to donate has many circumstances to take into consideration. One aspect that may hinder a person’s decision is the way that we understand how the body will be treated after death. The treatment of a dead boy plays an important role in the decision of different spiritual, cultural, religious, and non-religious beliefs.

“At the time of bereavement it is a very difficult time to ask relatives about donation and the views of their loved one” (BBC News, 1999). Another issue is the question of donation that usually arises after a sudden or traumatic death and the feelings of the family are the utmost important. Also the issue of people and how they think this is there last act of good doing. In Judaism it is believed that donation is a “mitzot”, or only good deed that an individual can perform after death (Organ Donation, 1989). People need to discuss organ donation with their family members now so that when the time or ones death comes either expected or not it will be easier to make the decision on organ donation.

What Happens when you decided to donate organs?

The actual procedures and process of organ donation vary from hospital to hospital. After someone has died and the death is confirmed, if there is family present they are asked if they knew the patients wishes about donation. If the patient did not express how they believed about organ donation then the family has the opportunity to make such a decision. The family also has the option to choose which organs to donate. When donation is agreed on then blood tests are given which are paid for by the hospitals. The family also needs to consent to an autopsy. The reason for the autopsy is to show the cause of death so that any health concerns would not be transplanted to a new recipient. You also have to address the idea of the Islam religion in which they are permitted to donate organs as long as it has been written prior to the donor’s death. Also is in Islam religion organs can not be stored in organ banks. There are different precautions and different considerations that you need to consider when you are discussing organ donation. The actual process varies from hospital to hospital and state to state.

What happens to the organs and tissues?

Some organs and tissues cannot be used for medical reasons. If the organs are fine and pass all the tests then they are transplanted to the recipients. Sometimes if the organs cannot be used in the new recipient they will be used in medical research. Again, you have to take into consideration, different religions that do not allow the organs to be used for research, but only for the purpose of creating a better well being for another human life. Like in Catholicisism they view organ donation as an act of charity and self sacrifice. All research has to be approved by an Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC). Something else to take into consideration is how the family will react after the donation has taken place. After donation, it is possible for the donor’s family to receive some information about the organs such as how successful the different transplants went. It is up to the individual recipient families to decide whether or not they want to know the donor and get in contact with that family.

Reasons why some people do and others don’t.

The main reason why some people consider donating is that it is a very great personal benefit to know that you have done something with your body after you could not use it anymore. Donating gives you the opportunity to better the lives of many other people after your death. There is also the idea that organ donation is a racial matter. There are different shortages of particular organs for people from certain ethnic backgrounds, since tissue matching can be difficult. Also different religions and even non-religious people believe in not donating to certain ethnic or religious groups of individuals who are in need of a donation. The process of transplantation is generally very successful. . The main reasons why people donate organs is one that either they already discussed with family what they wanted done with their organs if they died. The second reason is that sometimes families feel like they owe it to the relative that has died to donate their organs so that they feel like they would have wanted something greater to come about of their death. There are also different reasons why people choose not to donate organs.

People have different reasons for deciding not to donate. The Gypsies for example are against organ donation. The Gypsies beliefs are tied in with their idea of after-life. The Gypsies believe that for one year after a person dies, the soul retraces it steps and the entire body must be intact as the should maintains its physical shape. Another reason why people don’t donate is that they believe that it will bring about more sorrow to their families or relatives knowing that you are opening and removing organs and giving them to another individual. A lot of other issues deal with that most people who are eligible to be organ donors are usually people who have suffered a traumatic or sudden death. The majority of donors are from young people who were in some sort of accident and have died, but can still provide critical organs for transplantation. Families really need to consider the effects of organ donation and how it can benefit the lives of so many people. This is just a hard task to accomplish as the family is in to deep of a sorrow process or they are still in shock with the sudden death.

Making the decision about a relative

When deciding about donating the organs of a relative you need to consider the ethical issues involved. When faced with the decision of whether or not to donate the organs of a relative you are at a very stressful and emotional time. There are different circumstances that you need to consider. One is you aware of the wishes of the relative who died. Did you know whether or not organ donation was an option that this person was even considering? Then you have to look at whether or not you are going to carry out the wishes of that individual. A second scenario is that the person has expressed outwardly that they wanted to be an organ donation and had already signed the appropriate paperwork. In this case most of the time, unless you can get a court order to stop the process, they will follow the wishes of the relative. There are a lot of ethical and moral decisions that need to be mad at a very emotional time. The family needs to discuss with the doctors what they can donate, understand that the person they have lost is dead and there is no chance of survival, and how they can benefit the lives of many other individuals.

Conclusion

In conclusion there are many different ethical factors that play an important role in the decision whether of not to donate organs. I think that you need to sit down with your family and discuss the importance of organ donation and what you want done with your body when you die. I think that if you have already talked to your family about the benefits of organ donation then when the time comes it will be easier for your family to make that commitment. If the donation of one person can save or better the lives of one to 75 people imagine how more people donating will affect our country. You need to think whether or not you are following the wishes of a relative or loved one. You need to consider how you stand on organ donation. You also need to take into consideration the beliefs of many different religions and their beliefs. I have an aunt who would not be here today if it was not for a liver transplant. I never really thought about the concept of donating my organs until I saw her in the hospital. I am an organ donor and my family knows that I want to donate my organs. Are you an organ donor and does your family know your wishes.

RESOURCES

BBC News, Doctors back organ donation reform. Retrieved 10/15/02, from

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/389043.stm

Organ and Tissue Donation: A Guide for Clergy, 1989.

Religion and Organ Donation. From http://www.cadvision.com

Email me at: florezmandy@yahoo.com

Last Updated: Saturday April 24, 2004