Organ Shortage
Ethics, Law and Pragmatism

An ethically-principled and pragmatic approach offering solutions to the problem of organ shortage, which remains pervasive in many countries.

Anne-Maree Farrell (Edited by), David Price (Edited by), Muireann Quigley (Edited by)

9780521198998, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 March 2011

328 pages, 6 b/w illus. 7 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm, 0.61 kg

'… [this] book gives a solid introduction to the broad issue of organ shortage and may be inspiring to researchers, policymakers, and ethicists alike. The numerous authors introduce a variety of viewpoints on highly relevant debates, without dwelling excessively on a singular facet of organ donation or a specific organ. Indeed, in order to find a solution to the shortage, policies in the UK and elsewhere will need to be similarly balanced.' Maggie Woodward, World Medical and Health Policy

Organ shortage is an ongoing problem in many countries. The needless death and suffering which have resulted necessitate an investigation into potential solutions. This examination of contemporary ethical means, both practical and policy-oriented, of reducing the shortfall in organs draws on the experiences of a range of countries. The authors focus on the resolution and negotiation of ethical conflict, examine systems approaches such as the 'Spanish model' and the US Breakthrough Collaboratives, evaluate policy proposals relating to incentives, presumed consent, and modifications regarding end-of-life care, and evaluate the greatly increased use of (non-heart-beating) donors suffering circulatory death, as well as living donors. The proposed strategies and solutions are not only capable of resolving the UK's own organ-shortage crisis, but also of being implemented in other countries grappling with how to address the growing gap between supply and demand for organs.

Part I. Setting the Scene: 1. Organ shortage: principles, pragmatism and practice Anne-Maree Farrell, David Price and Muireann Quigley
2. Does ethical controversy cost lives? Margaret Brazier and John Harris
Part II. Current Issues Affecting Organ Shortage: 3. Organ donation and transplantation: meeting the needs of a multi-ethnic and multi-faith UK population Gurch Randhawa
4. Educating the public to encourage organ donation? Mairi Levitt
5. Bereavement, decision-making and the family in organ donation Magi Sque and Tracy Long-Sutehall
Part III. Strategies for Addressing Organ Shortage: 6. Incentivising organ donation Muireann Quigley
7. Making the margins mainstream: strategies to maximise the donor pool Antonia Cronin
8. The allocation of organs: the need for fairness and transparency Phil Dyer and Sheelagh McGuinness
9. Ante-mortem issues affecting deceased donation: an ethico-legal perspective John Coggon and Paul Murphy
Part IV. Comparative Perspectives: 10. Institutional organisation and transplanting the 'Spanish model' Monica Navarro-Michel
11. Kidney donation: lessons from the Nordic countries Salla Lötjönen and Nils Persson
12. Organ donation and transplantation: the Canadian experience Linda Wright and Diego S. Silva
13. Systematic increases in organ donation: the United States experience Alexandra K. Glazier
Part V. Current Reform and Future Challenges: 14. Negotiating change: organ donation in the UK Bobbie Farsides
15. Addressing organ shortage in the European Union: getting the balance right Anne-Maree Farrell
16. Promoting organ donation: challenges for the future David Price.

Subject Areas: Bio-ethics [PSAD], Medical ethics & professional conduct [MBDC], Medical & healthcare law [LNTM]