Ethical Controversies in Organ Transplantation
4. Types of organ donors
4.1.3. Drawbacks of living donation
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Health consequences: Pain, discomfort, infection, bleeding and potential future health complications.
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Psychological consequences: Family pressure, guilt or resentment.
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Pressure: Family members may feel pressured to donate when they have a sick family member or loved one.
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No donor advocate: While the patients have advocates, like the transplant surgeon or medical team (who are there to advise the patient and work in favor of his or her best interests) donors do not have such an advocate and can be faced with an overwhelming and complicated process with no one to turn to for guidance or advice.
A few medical and ethical professionals argue that living donation is inappropriate under any circumstances and should not only be discouraged but abandoned all together because of the risk and dangers associated with donating organs.
WHO publications
Other critics seek to discourage living donation because they think extending life through costly and physically taxing medical procedures is not the purpose of health systems. Although there are some who object to the practice of living donation, this potential source of organs is currently a major focus as a way to reduce the shortage of organs. Increasing the number of living donors could occur through a variety of strategies from education and civic duty promotion to the sale and purchase of organs Fig. (4).
