Organ Donation - Medical Ethics

Question 1

Who are living donors?

Answer 1

Living donors are individuals who donate organs while still living a relatively normal life.

Question 2

Is it legal in Scotland to donate an organ if it results in death?

Answer 2

No, it is illegal in Scotland to donate an organ if the act would cause the donor’s death.

Question 3

What moral question arises regarding life-ending organ donation?

Answer 3

Should individuals have the right to donate an organ to save someone else’s life, even if it results in their own death?

Question 4

Can living donors choose their recipient?

Answer 4

Currently, donors cannot choose their recipient, but moral questions arise about whether exceptions should be allowed.

Question 5

What ethical dilemma arises in selecting organ recipients?

Answer 5

Is it morally acceptable to prioritize recipients based on non-medical criteria, such as choosing between a serial killer and a young mother of four?

Question 6

What is informed consent?

Answer 6

Informed consent ensures people voluntarily agree to medical operations after fully understanding the consequences.

Question 7

What factors can affect voluntary consent in organ donation?

Answer 7

Cultural or familial influences and impaired mental capacity due to sickness or stress may undermine voluntary consent.

Question 8

What challenges exist in assessing consent for younger people?

Answer 8

Younger individuals may not fully understand the consequences of organ donation, raising concerns about their ability to provide valid consent. In Scotland, where individuals must actively register their intent to give, many people may fail to finish the process while expressing a wish to donate, potentially missing out on organ donation possibilities.

Question 9

What is presumed consent in organ donation?

Answer 9

Presumed consent assumes individuals agree to organ donation unless they actively opt out.

Question 10

What is a criticism of presumed consent?

Answer 10

It may undermine informed consent, as individuals might be unaware of their ability to opt out or the implications of presumed permission.

Question 11

What challenges exist in determining a person’s mental capacity?

Answer 11

For example, a person’s mental capacity may be impaired at the time of decision-making owing to causes such as sickness or stress, which could undermine the legitimacy of their consent.

Question 12

What system is currently in place in Scotland regarding organ donation?

Answer 12

Presumed consent, as represented by Scotland’s soft opt-out method, assumes people will agree to organ donation until they specifically decline. This approach attempts to boost organ donation rates by streamlining the process and lowering the administrative cost of formal registration.

Question 13

What is beating heart donation?

Answer 13

Beating heart donation, also known as donation after circulatory death (DCD), is a procedure that raises significant ethical and medical concerns about organ donation. The procedure entails retrieving organs from a donor whose heart is still beating, either after being ruled brain-dead or after life support is removed.

Question 14

What are the advantages of beating heart donation?

Answer 14

Advocates of this procedure claim that it increases the probability of successful organ transplants by maintaining organs in peak condition, saving many lives and shortening wait periods for people in need of transplants.

Question 15

What ethical concern arises with beating heart donation?

Answer 15

Determining the exact time of death and ensuring donors are permanently beyond recovery before organ retrieval.

Question 16

How might life support impact beating heart donation?

Answer 16

Sustaining organ viability with life support may blur the line between life and death, raising ethical concerns about premature death pronouncements.

Question 17

What is the utilitarian view on beating heart donation?

Answer 17

Utilitarians would support beating heart donation because it seeks to maximise happiness while minimising pain. This approach improves the number of organs available for transplantation, potentially saving many lives and improving the quality of life for recipients. Beating-heart donation helps solve the organ shortage and relieves the suffering of people with organ failure.

Question 18

What is the Islamic view on beating heart donation?

Answer 18

Some Muslims are hesitant to approve beating heart donation because they think the soul has not left the body while the heart is still beating. According to Islamic teachings, life is a precious gift from God, and the body should be treated with the utmost care both during and after death.

Question 19

What is the Church of Scotland’s view on living organ donation?

Answer 19

May express reservations regarding living organ donation, especially when extensive surgical operations are involved. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19, the body is regarded as “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” implying that it should be handled with the highest respect and concern.

Question 20

What is the Quranic view on living organ donation?

Answer 20

Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:32): “If anyone saves a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” This verse highlights the immense value of preserving life, which aligns with the principle of living donation. By donating an organ while alive, individuals directly contribute to saving lives, reflecting the Quranic emphasis on the sanctity of human life

Question 21

What is the humanist view on living organ donation?

Answer 21

Humanists emphasise the value of personal autonomy, claiming that everyone has the right to make educated decisions regarding their own bodies.  One consequence of the humanist viewpoint is that they would believe that every individual has the right to make their own informed decisions even if it results in their death as they have the choice to do so. 

Question 22

What is the utilitarian view on living organ donation?

Answer 22

Utilitarianism is founded on the principle that actions are morally right if they promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. This means that the value of an action is determined by how much pleasure or happiness it produces compared to the amount of pain or suffering it causes.

Question 23

Why does the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland object to presumed consent?

Answer 23

They argue it conflicts with the need for clear and explicit agreement, emphasizing the importance of informed consent.

Question 24

How does Sikhism view organ donation under presumed consent?

Answer 24

In Sikhism, the notion of “seva”, or selfless service, is an important principle that emphasises assisting others and alleviating suffering without expecting anything in return. This concept has a strong link with the practice of organ donation, especially systems based on presumed permission. In an assumed consent system, individuals are automatically considered organ donors until they opt-out, which is consistent with Sikh principles of selflessness and communal support

Question 25

Why is organ donation considered an important form of seva in Sikhism?

Answer 25

It reflects the belief in selflessness and communal support, consistent with viewing life as a holy gift.