Organ Donation- How recipients are chosen and should donors be compensated - Research Paper Example

Organ Donation Organ Donation is a procedure, which involves the removal of organs and tissues from a donor, transferring them into another person. Under grave circumstances, an ill or dying person can also donate the organ or tissue. This donation is very imperative because it manages to save the life of another person and furthermore, it can enhance the quality of life. Majority of the transplants occur when the donor dies. In addition, in some cases, the donors may also give one of their kidneys or part of their liver to a recipient.

Australia is a nation where most of the organs transplantations are carried out successfully (Benedetti, 21). “People of all ages and background can be used for the process of organ donation. If a person is under 18, then the parent or the guardian must give permission in order to become the donor. If an individual is 18 or older, then the person should be the donor by signing the donor card” (Petechuk, 67). The entire procedures that delegates organs to recipients, who entail them is formulated in a way, so that it is as fair and just as possible without any preferences or biases.

The delegation of organs is guided along by protocols, which are mostly formed by the transplantation societies existing in countries. In particular, different groups manage the waiting lists depending on the organ, and the geographical area where the organ recipient resides. When an organ other than kidney is used for transplantation, then it is generally offered to transplant units in that particular state and if there is no appropriate recipient, then the organ is offered to transplant units in another state and geographical jurisdiction, to promote parity (Humar, 31).

The general criterion includes the duration of time that the person has been waiting for the transplant, their current medical condition, how urgently they require the transplant, whether the tissue and organs match the person who is going to be the recipient, and whether the organs can be transplanted to the person in time. Organs such as liver, pancreas, heart, and lungs are corresponded and matched with the recipients based on size, blood group, urgency, and compatibility. Age and sex does not hold much importance.

In order to choose the best match for an organ, a special type of blood test called HLA (DNA/genetic test) is conducted to see whether the recipient would have the best chance of accepting that organ. There is every attempt made in order to find a recipient for the organ and it is not rare to locate an appropriate one. Once the recipient has been found, the transplantation process is carried out, the donor is taken into the operating room, and once all the tests have been completed, the surgery takes place.

The donor’s organs are removed without any further ado (Price, 18). There was a survey carried out by Singaporean researchers on compensation regarding organ donors. When the findings were released, it was revealed that 86% of the respondents said that payment should be given to the living organ donors and that the amount should go beyond $50, 000. They believed that the organ donors would require money to cover their expenses, such as transport, and indirect expenses such as their time expended and any future medical expenses.

However, it is still relative as to the amount of money, which is given out for compensation and how this should be given out. Secondly, there has also been some concerns regarding how it could exploit the poor and result in organ trading, especially, since there have been quite a few cases in recent times, which have concentrated on organ trading (Popatlal, 27). Works Cited Benedetti, Enrico. Living Donor Organ Transplantation. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008. Humar, Abhinav. Atlas of Organ Transplantation.

Springer, 2009. Petechuk, David. Organ Transplantation. Greenwood Publishing, 2006. Popatlal, Asha. Majority favor compensation for living organ donors, 2009. Retrieved on May 01, 2011: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/401807/1/.html Price, P. T David. Legal and Ethical Aspects of Organ Transplantation. Cambridge University Press, 2000.