Organ Donation; Beating heart donation

Question 1

Beating Heart Donation - KU

Answer 1

• Organ donation that takes place after brain stem death (when the brain stops functioning) is known as beating heart donation
• A ventilator takes over the breathing process, pumping oxygen into the lungs, keeping the circulatory system functioning until the transplant team can remove the organs, extending the viability of these organs and lengthening the time for transplantation to another patient

Question 2

Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors; Dead donor rule

Answer 2

-The dead donor rule means that organs cannot be taken until the patient has been declared dead.
- There is still controversy around confirming how we establish that someone has actually died.
- For some this is when the brain stops working or the heart stops beating, although not everyone is in agreement.
- Another important issue to consider is whether the cause of death is actually the removal of organs
- The BRainstem is the control centre for how the body functions
- Removing the organs has to happen whilst the heart is still beating;however removing the organs will inevitably cause death, so is removing the organs killing the patient or simply quickening an inevitable process?

Question 3

Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors;Personhood

Answer 3

• There is some some controversy regarding beating heart donors and whether they a re actually dead when their organs are removed
• A person may be past the point of no return when brain stem has been established but the argument remains that they can be considered to be a dying person rather than a dead person.
• If the organs retrieval team remove the organs at this point, is the dehumanising the donor?

Question 4

Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors; Respect

Answer 4

• Due to the shortage of beating heart donors, there is concern that the dying patient is seen as a potential set of spare parts to help others rather than as a person
• Being treated in this way could be seen as removing an element of the dignity and respect patients should be entitled to
• Is the dying patient still treated with care, the same care as those who will receive the organs?

Question 5

Religious issues to Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors; The Jewish Response

Answer 5

• Some Orthodox Jews would be of the opinion that beating heart donations should not be allowed, as to remove organs at this point would be to end that persons life
  -to some it is important so state there is no need to keep someone alive if they are suffering and there is no hope of renewal so brainstem death becomes an acceptable definition of death

Question 6

Religious issues to Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors; The Islamic response

Answer 6

• Islam is not unlike the Jewish response with regards to beating heart donors
• Some Muslims view brain death as an in-between state between life and death and believe that life support needs to continue, so would disagree with beating heart donation

Question 7

Non-Religious issues to Moral Issues raised by Beating Heart Donors; Humanism

Answer 7

• The Humanist response to beating heart donors is complex
• When it come to brainstem death respecting the views of family and next of kin would allow Humanists to make a moral decision based on empathy and concern for other human beings