Write a 2-3 page paper that examines the moral and ethical considerations of organ conscription policies and theories.
Scarcity of Medical Resources
For this assessment, you will continue your survey of ethical principles
in health care. Especially in our contemporary world, where needs for
health care outstrip available resources, we regularly face decisions
about who should get which resources.
There is a serious shortage of donor organs. Need vastly outstrips
supply, due not only to medical advances related to organ
transplantation, but also because not enough people consent to be
cadaveric donors (an organ donor who has already died). Munson (2014)
points out that in the United States, approximately 10,000 patients die
each year because an organ donor was not available, which is three times
the number of people killed in the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
But what is an efficient and morally sound solution to this problem? The
policy of presumed consent, where enacted, has scarcely increased
supply, and other alternatives, such as allowing donors to sell their
organs, raise strong moral objections. In light of this, some have
advocated for a policy of conscription of cadaveric organs
(Spital & Erin, 2002). This involves removing organs from the
recently deceased without first obtaining consent of the donor or his or
her family. Proponents of this policy argue that conscription would not
only vastly increase the number of available organs, and hence save
many lives, but that it is also more efficient and less costly than
policies requiring prior consent. Finally, because with a conscription
policy all people would share the burden of providing organs after death and all would stand to benefit should the need arise, the policy is fair and just.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your
proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide
criteria:
- Competency 1: Articulate ethical issues in health care.
- Articulate the moral concerns surrounding a policy of organ conscription.
- Articulate questions about the fairness and justness of organ conscription policy.
- Explain the relevance and significance of the concept of consent as it pertains to organ donation.
- Evaluate alternative policies for increasing available donor organs.
- Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly,
professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of
others and is consistent with health care professionals.- Exhibit proficiency in clear and effective academic writing skills.
- References
Munson, R. (2014). Intervention and reflection: Basic issues in bioethics (concise ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Spital, A., & Erin, C. (2002). Conscription of cadaveric organs for transplantation: Let’s at least talk about it. American Journal of Kidney Disease, 39(3), 611–615.
Instructions
Do you consider the policy of organ conscription to be morally sound?
Write a paper that answers this question, defending that answer with
cogent moral reasoning and supporting your view with ethical theories or
moral principles you take to be most relevant to the issue. In addition
to reviewing the suggested resources, you are encouraged to locate
additional resources in the school library, your public library, or
authoritative online sites to provide additional support for your
viewpoint. Be sure to weave and cite the resources throughout your work.
In your paper, address the following: - On what grounds could one argue that consent is not ethically
required for conscription of cadaveric organs? And on what grounds could
one argue that consent is required? - Is the policy truly just and fair, as supporters claim? Explain.
- Do you consider one of the alternative policies for increasing
available donor organs that Munson discusses to be preferable to
conscription? Explain why or why not. - Submission Requirements
- Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
- Length: 2–3 typed, double-spaced pages.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
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Evaluating alternative policies for increasing available donor organs was first posted on January 17, 2020 at 12:40 pm.
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