Kidneys used in transplants come from two sources, deceased donors and living do

Question

Kidneys used in transplants come from two sources, deceased donors and living donors. Because people have two kidneys, a living person can donate a kidney to someone in renal failure if the tissue types match and then go on to live a normal life with a single kidney. With a living donation comes a higher risk for future renal failure, high blood pressure, proteinuria, etc. and the risk associated with the surgery itself. Do you think it is ethical for doctors to allow living kidney donations? Why or why not? Should the same rules apply to everyone? What if the person doing the donation is responsible for the financial well-being of his/her entire family? What if the person who is doing the living donation feels social pressure to donate? Should it be legal to pay for living donations? Why or why not? You must answer these questions in one initial post and then comment on at least two other posts.

http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingDonors/pdf/safe_to_donate.pdf

http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/transplant/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1592395/

Explanation / Answer

Indeed kidney transplant is a critical surgical and clinical event which requires expert supervision and critical analysis before, during and after the process. Although a person can definitely live a healthy life even after donating one of the kidneys, but proper diet, health record and a life-style needs to be maintained in that case. In order to eliminate any future possibilities of renal failure or hemodynamic problems, a very closely monitered lifestyle needs to be followed. However, a physician's discretion regarding the donor's capability is highly essential in cases where a person wants to become a renal donor. This is because the previous case history, the family pedigree, the immunological status and the life-style of the donor are highly critcal factors in the process of donation. Though any person can donate a kidney, but it is mandatory for them to undergo a series of panel-tests before being approved as a donor for the safety of both, the donor and the recipient. This is why very stringent ethical concerns are associated with organ donation which are mandatory to be followed by every physician and surgeon.

This is important to note here that these rules apply similar to everyone, be it a legitimate donor or a non-living donor. This is because it has been noted in a while that some people follow organ donation as a means of financial earning which is absolutely not promoted by the medicine experts. This practise is very notorious and can evoke non-legal activities which can be deleterious for general masses. In this regard, social pressure and finanacial crisis must be definitely not the bases of organ donation because this can give rise to a whole new practise of organ donation just for the sake of earning money.

Thus, in order to build a healthy society and healthy people, organ donation should be highly scrutinized process which requires stringent ethical concerns.

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