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Organ Transplantation

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Organ Transplantation
Ethics of Organ Transplantation

Center for Bioethics February 2004

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEDICAL ISSUES What is organ transplantation? ……………………………………...Page 5 The transplant process ………….………………………...…………. Page 6 Distributing cadaveric organs ………………………………………..Page 7 A history of organ transplantation …………………….…………….Page 9 Timeline of medical and legal advances in organ transplantation…Page 10

ETHICAL ISSUES Ethical Issues Part I: The Organ Shortage……..………...………… Page 13 Distribution of available organs …….………………………. Page 15 Current distribution policy …………………………………..Page 17 Organ shortage ethical questions …………………………… Page 19 Ethical Issues Part II: Donor Organs ......…………………………... Page 20 Cadaveric organ donation ……………………………………Page 20 Living organ donation ……………………………………….. Page 24 Alternative organs …………………………………………… Page 27

LEGAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES Current laws …………………………………………………………. Page 29 The impact of transplantation ………………………………………. Page 31

OTHER MATERIALS Books and articles …………………………………………………….Page 33 Glossary ………………………………………………………………. Page 39 References ……………………………………………………………. Page 41

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MEDICAL ISSUES

What is organ transplantation? An organ transplant is a surgical operation WHAT ARE ORGANS? where a failing or damaged organ in the human body is removed and replaced with a new one. An organ is a Solid transplantable organs: mass of specialized cells and tissues that work together to perform a function in the body. The heart is an § Heart § Lungs example of an organ. It is made up of tissues and cells § Liver that all work together to perform the function of § Pancreas pumping blood through the human body. § Intestines Any part of the body that performs a specialized Other organs: function is an organ. Therefore eyes are organs because § Eyes, ear & nose their specialized function is to see, skin is an organ § Skin because its function is to protect and regulate the body, § Bladder and the liver is an organ that

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