Anencephalics as organ donors.
This paper reviews objections to the proposal to allow parents of anencephalics to donate their infant's organs for transplantation and finds them unpersuasive. Instead, interpretations of 'Baby Doe' legislation, a 'higher-brain' functional conception of death, the idea of 'viability' in many abortion statutes, and the wishes of many patients, give strong support for the proposal for organ transplantation using anencephalics.
Zaner
R M
RM
Medical Ethics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37223.
D000757:Anencephaly / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001926:Brain Death / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007872:Legal Guardians; D028723:Personhood; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035761:Wedge Argument