Ethical Issues in Organ Donation and Transplantation: Are We Helping a Few at the Expense of Many?

Abstract

Ethical issues have always been apparent in the transplantation process and are becoming more evident as the demand for organs increases. The basic question is how just and ethical are the new policies enacted to encourage organ donation, considering that they affect the total public and benefit the small percentage of patients who require transplantation? Pros and cons of several of these policies will be discussed as will several clinical situations that raise ethical questions.