Ethical, Psychosocial, and Public Policy Implications of Procuring Organs From Non-Heart-Beating Cadaver Donors

Abstract

This report will discuss the complex clinical, ethical, cultural, psychological, and public policy implications of using NHBCDs [non-heart-beating cadaver donors]. The genesis of this report was a conference designed to examine the University of Pittsburgh (Pa) Medical Center (UPMC) policy on procuring organs after death from patients who choose to forgo life-sustaining treatment. The UPMC is the first institution to address the issue in a comprehensive manner by establishing a formal protocol that sets standards for practice and peer review....Although no consensus emerged regarding the advisability of using NHBCDs, we all agreed that their use raises important ethical issues about the definition of death, potential conflicts of interest, and proper behavior in controlling the dying process. This report summarizes those concerns. The papers by conference participants, which this report draws on, are being published in the June 1993 issue of the