Ethical issues regarding Living organ and tissues donations

Ethical issues regarding Living organ and tissues donations

Introduction

The donations of organs by living individuals is legally authorized and well established in medical practices. The ethical issues related to a problem are in concern to its importance and effects of human well-being. The issue enlightens the medical practices and its positive and negative effects on human well-being and when people need to decide, if their actions are right or wrong. The issue of living donations is an ethical one, because it brings up major concerns about the potential donor and the recipient. As there are many important issues involved in living donations it is important to give the decision a careful thought and seeking counsel with a health professional. The major ethical issue is to decide whether it is right or wrong to make an organ or tissue donation and the measurement of the consequences for the action, in terms of health of the donor, health of the receiver and the effects on the society and medical profession. There are three categories of living donation, directed donation to a friend or relative, indirect donation to a complete stranger and directed donation to a stranger. There should be strict guidelines to prevent any unethical exchange of living organs and tissues donation.

Discussion

The donation of regenerative and non-regenerative tissues is practiced globally. The transplants of organs and tissues can save many lives. These transplants have improved the quality living of the people and help them live healthier and longer. The need of the organs to be donated is relatively more than the available donations. Living donation is an option for patients that are waiting for an organ donation from a donor who has died. The living donations are only allowed if the living donor is healthy and alive after the donation of the organ or tissue.

In past most of the donations made by living donors were of a relative (e.g. brother, father, sister, etc.), but due to the advances in medical sciences have made it possible for unrelated people to make the living donations as well. Directed donations are donations done by a relative or a friend. Donations of bone marrow are a common example of non directed living donations. Non-directed kidney donations are now possible due to medical advances to people, whoever in need of that organ. The privacy of the donator is protected and the donor has no control on who will or who will not receive the kidney.

Qualification as a donor

It is necessary for the donor to be in good physical and mental health. They are supposed to be free from diseases that can affect the health of the person receiving the donation. It is vital for the donor and the recipient to have the same blood group and matching tissue types. It is important to conduct a test of the donor's blood to check its effects on the immune system of the receiver. The medical advancements have made it possible for the non-matching organs ...