A gift of life: ethical and practical problems with conditional and directed donation.

摘要

The idea of removing organs from the dead and transplanting them into the living is disturbing to some people, and leads to concerns about commodification of the human body. Our society has come to terms with this practice partly by viewing organ donation as a gift, thus emphasizing the importance of donor autonomy. The series of cases presented here highlight two main questions about this autonomy. How do we ascertain donors' wishes, and should these wishes be carried out under all circumstances? When donors or their families request that the organs only go to a specific person or group of people, conflicts can develop between the principle of donor autonomy and the principles of justice and equality. This article will address the distinctions between "Directed" and "Conditional Donation," and attempt to delineate the circumstances in which they may be morally acceptable. We will also discuss the issue of priority in transplantation for those who are willing to donate themselves.