Organ transplants Flashcards
Organ procurement, organ allocation
What are organ transplanst
When donor decides to give a part or whole organ, such as kidney or lung lobe, to someone who will suffer unless they get the organ
What are two consent systems and examples of countries
Opt-in system is when people who wish to donate organs need to register in order to do so and it will be presumed you don’t consent in case of death .
Opt-out ( soft/hard). Soft opt-out in Scotland is when it will be assumed that you consent to organ donation unless explicitly said otherwise but your proxy will still be asked about this after your death. Hard opt-out doesn’t ask the opinion of the family
What does catechism 2296 say on organ donation
“Free gift of organs after death is legitimate and meritorious”
What is beating heart donation
When a heart is taken when it’s still beating after a person meters the criteria for being brain dead to minimise the risk of death of the recipient and maximise chance of success due to the heart’s viability
When are criteria for being brain dead/clinically dead
- when someone is unconscious and fails to respond to outside stimulus
- someone’s heartbeat can only be maintained using a ventilator
- clear evidence that serious brain damage has occurred and can’t be cured
What are living donors
When organs are donated during their lifetime, in general for altruistic (selfless) reasons
Religious responses to organ procurement
beating heart donor:
Many muslims believe death occurs when the soul leaves the body, but this isn’t known whether it happens when the brain stops working or when the heart stops beating
Many Roman Catholics believe death occurs when the soul leaves the body. However, many Catholics also approve of the clinical death of the brain as the true definition of death. Therefore, it implies that beating heart donation is allowed
Living donors:
Christians believe that organ donation is a rewarding act, as stated in Catechism 2296. However, it should be fully consensual and since this catechism only states after death, it may imply living donors aren’t preferred due to potential harm posed to the donor
How can organs be allocated ?
Organ allocation is when organs are given to those who will benefit from it and patients who need it most
They can also be allocated to medical schools or research
There are inequalities in organ allocation, due to lack of organs from people of ethnic minorities, as suggested in figure of NHS From 22-23
How many people of ethnic minorities are on NHS waiting list for organs compared to ethnic minority donors?
2237 vs. 246
What ethical principles can be used in organ allocation?
Utility, justice and respect
What’s net utility in organ allocation ?
Principle used to evaluate the possible good, quality of life, survival, alternative treatment and harm
What does catechism 2296 say?
“Free gift of organs after death
is legitimate and meritorious”
