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Running head: THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR
TRANSPLANTATION
The donation and allocation of human organs for transplantation
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University Affiliation
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THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
Introductory Summary
Donation and distribution of human organs are guided by various rules, regulations, and
ethics. Statistics show that more than 120,000 people in the US are waiting to receive an organ
transplant. The medical and health facilities do not have enough donated organs to allocate
everyone in need. In this regard, the health team has to balance various factors. Some of these
factors include justice and medical utility. The factors to match organs with patients in need are
the same, but the system accommodates some unique aspects for each organ. Some fundamental
elements are used to determine the matching of the available organ, such as blood type, weight,
height, and other medical aspects (Cherry, 2017). In this regard, the paper will focus on
discussing the Christian position regarding the allocation and donation of human organs. Should
individuals without insurance such as immigrants or inmates receive the same access to
transplant as those individuals with health insurance? Also, some potential structures of
allocating and distributing organs will be determined in this paper.
Christian position regarding the allocation and donation of human organs
The Bible, which lays the Christian values and religious aspects, does not mention clearly
on organ donations or receiving a transplant. However, it is a controversial topic among various
Christian denominations. Some Christians argue that the Bible endorses organ donation as john
15:13 speaks about laying one's life down for friends. Most faith allows the donation of organs
because it demonstrates love. Christians are guided by love as the highest fruit of the holy spirit.
In this case, when an individual donates an organ, he acts in love (Abdeldayem, El-Kased,
Elshaarawy, Hammad, Al-Haddad, Sobhi & Allam, 2016).
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THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
On the contrary, other denomination bases their arguments on 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
"don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you that you have
received from God? You are not of your own, for a price bought you. So glorify God in your
body." This verse of the Bible expects Christians to value their body for the Holy Spirit lives in it
and that the body belongs to God, who bought it with the blood of Jesus. As a result, some
Christians are against the donation and transplant of human organs because it damages the body
that belongs to God's glorification. However, a controversy occurs when this text is defined in its
context, where it refers to sexual immorality and not organ donations that can help others
(Abdeldayem et al., 2016).
Resurrection is another aspect that makes Christians discourage organ donation.
Christians show their hope of resurrection by burying their dead instead of cremating them like
the pagans. In this case, they require the body to be buried in its whole to decompose, and the
bones are preserved for resurrection. The practice has spread from the early church, who believes
that the body that is not whole will not ascend to heaven during the rapture. However, this view
is wrongly understood concerning the bodily resurrection. We will be given a new body, made
by God, and it will be glorified, meaning that Christians shall not need their current body during
resurrection (Abdeldayem et al., 2016).
Individuals without insurance such as inmates should be given access to transplant
Prevention of obtaining organ transplants for inmates or immigrants is not recorded in
any legislation. However, the lack of insurance coverage acts as an indirect exclusion that leads
to distrust of the system. Records show that few numbers of immigrants receive an organ
transplant in the United States. It becomes challenging for an individual without insurance to
receive an organ transplant. More so, these processes are too expensive that most inmates cannot
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THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
afford. The scarcity of organs is another aspect that makes it hard for people without insurance to
receive an organ transplant. People with insurance tend to be prioritized on organ donation since
it becomes an ideal in the process (Pullen, 2019).
More so, it becomes easier to recognize that most organ donors are immigrants and
people without insurance coverage. Statistics show that 25% of all organ donors did not have
insurance or private funds to pay for the surgery and care. Therefore, they would not be eligible
to receive one had they needed it. Some organs were donated by people of unknown citizenship,
as indicated in those lists. These donors happen to be illegal immigrants or from human
trafficking that makes it difficult to trace their origin or nationality. This aspect makes the system
untrustworthy of the donation and allocation of organs (Pullen, 2019).
A potential structure of allocation that would be ethically categorized
Distributing organs should be just and fair. This approach requires rules or policies that
oversee the supply of donated organs. The supply process should be used wisely and consistently
with what a donor and his or her family should wish. Some of the donors' wishes are saving the
lives of children or American citizens. The desires of the donors should be considered during the
distribution of the organs. Fairness calls for equal treatment of all people in the waiting list and
transparency of the allocation system. The openness is crucial in understanding why someone
was selected and not others for every organ (Benjamens, van den Berg, & Pol, 2019).
The transplant centers are the gatekeepers of the distribution of organs. They make
decisions based on their policies. Some of these centers are nonmedical, where they invoke their
values that are not just. The centers decide on who to be a candidate on whether they have
insurance, age below 75, excludes people with mental problems, HIV+. And a history of
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THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
addiction. The non-citizens are rarely included in the waiting list, and those that make it to that
list have substantial financial resources. Some of these restrictions are not just and fair. In regard,
having a random selection in the distribution of the organ is crucial among the viable candidates.
Also, the selection criteria of the candidates should be controlled by a central body to ensure
transplant centers are not using unjust procedures (Benjamens, van den Berg, & Pol, 2019).
Also, increasing the number of organ supply should be monitored closely. All unethical
misconduct of acquiring organs such as human trafficking should be eliminated. All sources of
organs should be evaluated before being documented for use. Forceful donating or organs should
be prohibited in the country. The increase of organ supply should involve legal aspects such as
the use of organ donor cards, family consent to donate an organ for their deceased relative, and
requesting patients' families about organ donation. Doctors should work closely with transplant
centers to identify patients whose organs will be donated for proper documentation. Also,
volunteers should be considered, and their reasons to give should be recorded as well as their
citizenship. Adequate documentation will minimize wicked ways of donating organs, and the
process will be transparency (Benjamens, van den Berg, & Pol, 2019).
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THE DONATION AND ALLOCATION OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION
References
Abdeldayem, H., El-Kased, A. F., Elshaarawy, A., Hammad, E. S., Al-Haddad, O., Sobhi, G., &
Allam, N. (2016). Religious Concepts in Organ Transplantation.HFrontiers in
Transplantology, 1.
Benjamens, S., van den Berg, T. A., & Pol, R. A. (2019). C4: The future of solid organ
transplantation from the perspective of young transplant professionals.HAmerican Journal
of Transplantation,H19(6), 1867.
Cherry, M. J. (2017, October). Organ vouchers and barter markets: Saving lives, reducing
suffering, and trading in human organs. InHThe Journal of Medicine and Philosophy: A
Forum for Bioethics and Philosophy of MedicineH(Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 503-517). Oxford
University Press.
Pullen, L. C. (2019). Transplantation and Undocumented Immigrants: A Tale of Two
States.HAmerican Journal of Transplantation,H19(10), 2665-2667.
