Bodies, organs and saving lives: old respects and new dilemmas.
Attitudes to death are non-rational and culturally determined. This is relevant to concerns about shortages of organs for transplantation. Consent is not possible from a dead donor and the term 'resumed consent' offends against the principle of respect for autonomy that underpins consent. Consent is the fundamental principle of the Human Tissue Act 2004 in considering use of organs after death. These legal and ethical concerns create difficulties to be explored in a subsequent paper.
Saunders
John
J
Centre for Philosophy, History and Law in Healthcare, School of Health Science, University of Swansea. john.saunders3@wales.nhs.uk
D001293:Attitude to Death; D006801:Humans; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists