The Ethics of Global Organ Acquisition: Moral Arguments about Transplantation

The pressure to make morally questionable, unethical decisions in organ transplantation increases as demand outstrips availability, and waiting lists surge. Trevor Stammers, a medical ethics expert, examines the complex ethical web that constitutes the worldwide exchange of organs and tissues, exploring key philosophical questions related to existence, consciousness, death, and the right to life. Controversial cases from various countries are examined, highlighting the variety of threats and challenges to public trust in transplant medicine. Stammers suggests viable alternatives to current ethical failings by focusing on the moral arguments that define public trust, moving the debate on transplant ethics in vital new directions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The demand for organs continues to outpace availability, leading to a surge in waiting lists and increasing pressure to make morally questionable and unethical decisions in the field of transplant medicine. This erosion of trust in transplant medicine is a result of the complex ethical web that encompasses the worldwide exchange of organs and tissues. In order to understand the ethical implications of organ donation and transplantation, it is necessary to examine key philosophical questions related to existence, consciousness, the nature of death, and the right to life.

Organ donation and transplantation are closely connected to real-life case studies that explore various challenges and difficulties. These case studies include the dead donor rule for deceased donation, organ donation euthanasia, xenotransplantation, the creation of organoids and organs-on-chips, as well as examples of human trafficking and systematic state murder for the purpose of obtaining organs. By examining these controversial cases, we can gain a better understanding of the threats and challenges to public trust in transplant medicine.

To highlight the diversity of threats and challenges to public trust in transplant medicine, it is important to examine the experiences of different countries. Controversial cases from Japan, Germany, the United States, and Singapore are examined alongside the Spanish, Welsh, and Chilean experience of deceased donation opt-out schemes. These examples provide valuable material for debates and discussions in the philosophy of medicine and medical ethics more generally.

One approach to addressing the ethical failings in transplant medicine is to focus on the moral arguments that define public trust. By examining the ethical principles that underpin public trust, we can develop viable alternatives to current ethical shortcomings. Trevor Stammers, a medical ethics expert and former health professional, suggests that one such alternative is to prioritize the moral arguments that define public trust and move the debate on transplant ethics in vital new directions.

In conclusion, the demand for organs continues to outpace availability, leading to a surge in waiting lists and increasing pressure to make morally questionable and unethical decisions in transplant medicine. By examining key philosophical questions related to existence, consciousness, the nature of death, and the right to life, we can gain a better understanding of the ethical implications of organ donation and transplantation. By focusing on the moral arguments that define public trust, we can develop viable alternatives to current ethical failings and move the debate on transplant ethics in vital new directions.

Weight: 468g
Dimension: 146 x 224 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350227170