Organ allocation. Ethical issues
Cattorini, P.
Annali di Igiene Medicina Preventiva e di Comunita 22(3): 253-261
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1120-9135 PMID: 20677677 Document Number: 645269
The criteria for allocating organs are one of the most debated ethical issue in the transplantation programs. The article examines some rules and principles followed by "Nord Italia Transplant program", summarized in its Principles' Charter and explained in a recent interdisciplinary book. General theories of justice and their application to individual clinical cases are commented and evaluated, in order to foster a public, democratic, transparent debate among professionals and citizens, scientific associations and customers' organizations. Some specific moral dilemmas are focused regarding the concepts of proportionate treatment, unselfish donation by living persons, promotion of local institutions efficiency.