TY - JOUR
T1 - Is it ethical to prioritize patients for organ allocation according to their values about organ donation?
AU - Bramstedt, Katrina
PY - 2006/6/1
Y1 - 2006/6/1
N2 - Because the supply of deceased donor organs fails to meet demand, patients needing a transplant frequently have lengthy waits or die while waiting. In an effort to reduce waiting times, the concept of "preferred status" has emerged. In the United States, preferred status has taken the form of a community of individuals called LifeSharers. Using directed donation, this group aims to facilitate priority organ allocation to its members-people who have agreed to be organ donors. Such preferred status programs increase societal awareness about organ donation and transplantation, but they are not without ethical controversy, as some term them "clubs." In the case of LifeSharers, the potential to increase the pool of deceased donor organs is a worthy goal that would benefit the community of patients awaiting transplantation, not just LifeSharers members.
AB - Because the supply of deceased donor organs fails to meet demand, patients needing a transplant frequently have lengthy waits or die while waiting. In an effort to reduce waiting times, the concept of "preferred status" has emerged. In the United States, preferred status has taken the form of a community of individuals called LifeSharers. Using directed donation, this group aims to facilitate priority organ allocation to its members-people who have agreed to be organ donors. Such preferred status programs increase societal awareness about organ donation and transplantation, but they are not without ethical controversy, as some term them "clubs." In the case of LifeSharers, the potential to increase the pool of deceased donor organs is a worthy goal that would benefit the community of patients awaiting transplantation, not just LifeSharers members.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33746722811&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/152692480601600214
DO - 10.1177/152692480601600214
M3 - Article
C2 - 16789709
AN - SCOPUS:33746722811
SN - 1526-9248
VL - 16
SP - 170
EP - 174
JO - Progress in Transplantation
JF - Progress in Transplantation
IS - 2
ER -